Shades of Sunnydale: Love's Obsession
by katinaAZ
Summary: Angelus plans to kill and destroy everything in Buffy's world. But in a game that was supposed to be death, pain, and blood, the evil vampire found one thing he didn't expect. Angel's obsession was Buffy . . . But Angelus's obsession is Cordelia.
1. Chapter 1

Rated – Mature 17+ for language, sexual situations, graphic fights, death

Summary: What happens when a vampire with a soul loses it? Angelus plans to kill and destroy everything in Buffy's world. But in a game that was supposed to be death, pain, and blood, the evil vampire found one thing he didn't expect. Angel's obsession was Buffy . . . But Angelus's obsession is Cordelia.

A/N – Everything is accurate up until Innocence, after Angel loses his soul. I might play with the timeline for a few details, but if I do, it will be subtle changes. For the most part, this will be an AU fic.

Also this is my first Buffy story and I am putting myself out of the comfort zone slightly. But I promised this to my daughter who is a huge fan of both Buffy and Angel. This will be the first part to a three possibly four part series . . . if I get enough interest.

1.

Darkness was coming! That was a certainty as the air was thick with it.

Sunnydale had been at the center of all kinds of strange happenings, as it was built on a Hellmouth. It called to all sorts of evils, including various demons, vampires, and witches. An earthquake was not just an earthquake in Sunnydale; it was the sign of some apocalyptic event. A storm brewing in the horizon and evil is a fowl. So when darkness settles into the city like thick smug, people paid attention.

In an abandoned factory on the far corner of the town, a vampire danced around to music that was only playing in her head. Drusilla held her doll tightly and then said, "Miss Edith says daddy is coming."

Spike glanced up, noting his Dru's expression. "What is that, Love?" He asked, hoping Dru was just having one of those random moments.

Broody Slayer Boy was one thing, but Angelus was something else entirely. His grandsire was an evil bastard who delighted in taunting and torturing those around him. He could wake up in a bad mood and wipe out his entire stock of minions. Or he could wake up in a good mood and only kill half of them for the fun of it. When Angelus was present back before the soul, he was possessively loyal to his family which encased Spike and Dru, but he also tortured them to the brink of death and insanity. Angelus was also singled minded on whatever he was obsessed with and in a town like Sunnydale that could be dangerous, especially when it belonged to the Slayer.

Drusilla turned to face him a smile sneaking onto her face. Drusilla was a beauty creature, once as a human and now as a creature of the night. There was this timeless surreal aura that surrounded her and brought men down onto their knees. Spike had certainly played her lover's bitch the past century or so. She was dressed that evening in a long white gown that was buttoned up to her neck with lace. It hugged her slender frame perfectly, and she looked as she had the first time he saw her that night . . . the night when everything changed.

"The stars and Miss. Edith have whispered that daddy is coming back." She sing-singed with glee. "There will be blood and tears and sadness."

Spike moved towards her, cursing his wheelchair for hindering his movements. How he remembered the night Angel and the Slayer left him trapped and burning in the building, his legs crushed and immobile. It was only Dru's devotion to him that saved him from perishing that night in the rumble and ash. The Slayer would pay as he drained her dry of her blood and tossed her body on the watcher's lawn to see his handy work. And his grandsire, Angel . . . he would sweep up his dust and sent it to the Slayer in a shoebox. Afterwards, Dru and him would sip tea and dance.

Spike took Dru's hand into his and captured her full attention, "When is daddy coming back? How Dru, Love?"

She pushed a hand against his cheek, "He comes soon and he will seek vengeance for that nasty girl for hurting my Spike." She leaned down and kissed his lips, her fangs biting into the flesh of his upper lip. Blood poured into her mouth and she moaned. "Daddy will make everything right, Miss Edith told me so."

Spike licked his lip and smiled at her, "And what else did Miss Edith say?"

She placed a finger against her lips, "It's a secret. Miss Edith said not even Daddy is to know."

Spike knew that Dru had said all she was going to on the subject. "Give us a kiss then, Love."

Dru leaned down and kissed him again, humming a strange tune.

His heart ached!

Angel sat up in bed, a burning in his chest that felt as if he'd swallowed the sun. He tossed back the covers, picking up his pants off the floor, slipping into them before running out into the night rain and collapsing onto the grass in a soft groan. He clutched his chest, his muscles straining to control whatever was happening to him. The demon rattled his cage and Angel struggled to keep him lock up inside. But with each new shift, he knew it was a losing battle. His body was being torn apart internally, soul and demon fighting to win the battle.

It was a war and he feared he'd lose it.

And just like that, there was a flash of something and he was just gone. Angelus rose once more.

The demon in him roared. He'd been locked up so long that he'd forgotten what the taste of hot warm blood as it spilled out of a fading victim into his hungry mouth. He licked his lips in anticipation, his loins clutching at the thought of a hunt. The pounding of his prey's heart as it raced wildly in fear and desperation, trying to escape the enviable. It felt good to be back.

He looked up into the sky and roared, "I'm back."

He'd spent a hundred years trapped in droopy broody soul's reign and it was torture. Helping innocents and drinking pig blood. But the disgusting thing liked it, denying a piece of himself that he couldn't escape. The soul stiffed him until Angelus felt like slitting his own throat to rid himself of this existence. Of course none of the soul's good deeds came remotely close to shacking up with a Vampire Slayer. Not only had that bastard helped kill his own kind, but the soul slept with her and declared his undying love and devotion. Hell, even that moron Xander Harris knew that vampires and Slayers should never mix.

But the soul was gone and so the need to play errand boy for that needy Slayer.

He licked his lips, planning big things for the town of Sunnydale and his Slayer. But first, he needed a snack.

"Angel?" Buffy whispered sleepily, reaching out to touch the spot next to her.

It was empty.

She sat up in bed, pulling the sheet against her chest and glanced around the room. Her clothes had been discarded wildly onto the floor, but there was no sign of Angel's thing among the pile. It was as if he'd simply got out of bed, dressed, and left without a second thought to what they shared. She felt the cold start to seep into her body at his disappearance. She was certain that he wouldn't leave unless it had been important.

Angel had been an amazing lover last night, touching her intimately and softly everything with his hands and mouth. He kept telling her he loved her over and over again, his body setting those words into action. She'd been apprehensive about doing it for the first time, but after his fevered kisses and passionate hands, she quickly shed doubts. It had been so magical, a melting of two souls into one time and place. She felt deliciously sore between her thighs and she bit her lip, anticipation overwhelming her at the need to do it again soon.

Again she was stuck with a feeling that something was wrong. She pulled the sheet completely around her and got off the bed. She headed into the living room, looking around with a frown. She'd have understood if he had to leave to find more information on the Judge, but there was no note signaling his urgency to leave.

Before she could ponder further, the door opened and closed, as Angel stepped inside.

She paused to study him, trying to figure out why he seemed different. He had the same face that looked as if it once belonged to an angel, with hard lines and soft curves. His eyes flashed dark at her and for a spilt second she could swear she saw flecks of gold. His dark hair was pushed off his forehead, held there with mousse. He was still wearing that black long coat that hugged his strong shoulders and dropped down past his knees. He completed the look with a pair of black leather pants emphasizing lean hard waist and long strong legs. A red shirt that was open to the chest brought her attention to the hard lines and how she kissed every inch of it last night.

Same Angel and yet she felt he was different.

"Angel," She asked hesitantly.

"I thought you'd be gone by now." He admitted cynically.

"I don't . . ." She felt the sledge hammer hit her chest at his words. Last night he'd been so gentle and this morning he was just cold.

"Look we had fun," He shrugged, "But I don't have time in my life for you to crowd me."

"Crowd?" She whispered, fighting her tears.

"I need to keep my options open," He informed her.

"But last night . . ." She held the sheet tighter against her, suddenly feeling sick.

"Wasn't earth shattering," He admitted with a cruel twist of his mouth. "You don't have any experience to fulfill my desires."

Tears started falling, and she brushed them away. "You said you loved me."

"I'd say anything to get a woman into bed." He twisted the knife further. "Look I have to go, but please don't be here when I get back." And then with a swirl of his coat he was gone.

Buffy stared at the door, allowing the tears to fall. What did she do? And how could she fix it?

Angelus allowed the body to drop lifeless onto the ground and licked the remaining blood from his lips. Then he straightened his coat, stepped around the body and started towards the factory where Spike and Dru were staying. For the time being, he'd stay too, but then it was time for his family and him to found better digs. He had big plans for Sunnydale and staying in a factory wasn't good for his image.

Minutes later, he slammed open the door and strolled inside the factory as if he'd owned the place. He glanced around the place, not at all surprised to find minions pouring out from the various rooms into the main one, surrounding him. Most of them were barely a year old, and definitely not up to taking on a master vampire like himself. But he needed a workout to hone his rusty fighting skills, and his new minions needed to learn he was in charge.

He scented the air and smelled the eagerness of one such fool, who was hoping to move up the ranks by dispatching Angelus. His body tightened with anticipation and he watched carefully as the minion suddenly charged straight towards him in game face. It would take a lot more than strength and determination to kill someone of Angelus's caliber. His hand reached out to snag the insolent pest and twist once, snapping the neck. Seconds later, he dusted off his jacket and waited for the next insolent minion to attempt attacking him.

"Stop!" He heard Spike's voice order.

Angelus turned towards the voice and he smiled at the sight. It felt good to look at Spike, who was in a wheelchair . . . _had to rectify that immediately_ . . . his childe in many ways. Although Dru sired him, it was Angelus that taught Spike everything about enjoying the hunt, stalking the prey, and attacking. But to see Spike after cowering in that soul's cage for so long, it was a sight to see.

"Spike!" He exclaimed.

Spike stared at him, wondering if this was a trick and the slayer and her merry band of teenagers would drop in on him. He glanced around warily, his eyes never lingering in one place more than a few seconds. Dru had said that Angelus was returning, but her visions weren't always subjective and sometimes they didn't make a lot of sense. Until he saw Angelus, the real Angelus, back in action, he'd be wise to not trust this vampire with a soul.

"Hello, Peaches," Spike greeted him. "Came to give a message to us from your Slayer?" He taunted. "I didn't think she let you out without a leash."

Angelus growled. He understood Spike's aloofness; his grandchilde had witnessed first hand his soul's need to do good. Not only working with the Slayer to destroy his own kind, but in placing himself in the position of leaving Spike in a wheelchair and almost murdering them in the fire. His heart wrenched at the thought of losing his childe, even the soul had problems with it in the aftermath. And for that alone the Slayer would pay.

"Careful with your words Spike," Angelus warned him, "Unless you want me to rip out your tongue."

Spike tilted his head to the side and really studied the vampire standing in the room. Angel had attempted to fool Spike once before the night at the high school, but there was something different about this version. This version was looking at him not in guilt, but in a deep longing to belong once again to his family. The soul carried a look of mirrored disgust at his own existence, projecting it onto his childe whenever they crossed paths. But this one was proud of whom and what he was, the smell of a fresh kill lingering on his lips. He knew then that Angelus had truly returned.

"Angelus," He whispered, trying not to get choked on emotion.

"Spike," He moved closer and sank down next to him,

"I don't understand." He admitted. "I mean Dru had a vision and said you were coming back, but I never thought . . . bloody hell it's good to have you back."

Angelus smiled, "I have big plans for us and this town." He informed Spike. "But my first order of business . . ."

"Is killing the Slayer," Spike finished with renewed hope.

"No," He shook his head, "Getting you out of that chair."

And the Spike watched as Angelus used his fang to tear open his wrist, offering his blood to Spike. In the past Angelus had been generous with his blood if his childe were in need of it. If Spike still had doubts, they were erased the moment his mouth settled over the wrist and the first drops of sire blood entered his veins. It had been a hundred years since he'd done this with Angelus, and it made him heady with blood and happiness.

A few minutes later, Angelus drew back his wrist. "In a few days, my blood will have healed you completely."

"Thank you," he whispered.

"It was the soul who did it to you in the first place." He growled in remembrance. "But I promise you that the Slayer and her misfit team will pay dearly."

"How did you come back, Angelus?"

Angelus laughed, "It seems the Slayer fucked the soul right out of me." He admitted with a shrug. "Not that she was all that great of a lay, but she must have given the soul some resemblance of happiness and wham . . . Angelus is driving again."

"You'd better shower after touching that bint."

Angelus laughed and nodded, "Right you are, Spike my boy, and afterwards, I'm going out to have a little more fun with the slayer."

Spike laughed. It was good to have his family back.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

"Damn Xander Harris anyway," Cordelia Chase stated with venom in her voice.

She would never know what possessed her to even give that dweeb a second glance. Cordelia was head cheerleader, rich, popular, and she knew she was one of the prettiest girls at school. She knew how to dress and accessorize her assets, emphasizing her ample breasts and lean hips with tight skirts and tops. She had dark thick hair that trailed seductively down her back daring men to touch the silky strands. She had golden tan skin and hazel eyes that were filled with fun and mystery. She could have any guy she wanted, having already snagged college boys, football players, and basketball jocks. She could do better than Xander Harris who was a loser with bad clothes and a worse sense of humor. But something about his kisses made her lose rational thoughts and she found herself responding.

Thank god, nobody knew about their encounters in the mop closet.

But tonight was the absolute last straw in their . . . whatever the hell they where. She was Cordelia Chase and somebody better realize that.

There she was spending another night searching endlessly through musty books for information on the latest threat to Sunnydale, somebody called the Judge. She didn't like the library. She hated Buffy Summers, the Slayer. Like that was supposed to come with a crown and her own set of servants. Willow Rosenberg was even further down on her hate list. Willow was Xander's best friend, batting puppy love eyes at him at every chance she got. But she wanted to spend time with Xander . . . _god she'd sink low_ . . . and so she conceded to research in the world of creepy, ugly, and evil.

Then Xander wants to smooch and she fell like a sucker for those eyes. Then somewhere during their make-out session, two things happened that now left her standing outside the school seething in anger and frustration. Number one was the appearance of Willow, who didn't take the news of Xander and her trading tongues. She ran out of the library crying and Xander, in true suck-as-boyfriend fashion, dashed after her without a single thought to Cordelia. And the second thing that happened was Cry-Buffy arrived in an emotional sobbing mess because she'd lost her Vampire Boyfriend and couldn't find him anywhere.

Cordelia suggested someone staked him, which caused the entire library to respond negatively. But she was only speaking the truth, Angel was a vampire. Some stake, some dust, and no more boyfriend. Somewhere in the midst of that mess, Giles, Willow, Buffy, and Xander left her sitting in the library alone. Now she was walking to her car in a dark parking lot with knowledge of scary things in the dark.

She refused to give into the pain of rejection, telling herself that she didn't care. But somewhere inside her, she did. She'd been too much of an outsider in her life for so long that she just wanted to belong to someplace that she wouldn't have to hide herself. Giles was a single British guy in his mid-forties who cared more about his books than actually dating. Buffy was a slayer with attention issues and a selfish streak. Xander was a goofy nerd. Willow was a computer geek and budding witch. And Cordelia Chase was a fraud.

She said it.

She was a chameleon, turning into whatever people needed her to be. Harmony, Aura and the rest of her group needed a leader and Cordelia was elected to lead. So that meant pushing aside details about herself that they wouldn't accept. Books and learning were for losers, so she hid her GPA of 4.0 and her permanent place on the honor roll, assuming the roll of ditzy cheerleader. Fashion was number one in her world, which meant wearing uncomfortable clothing with style instead of pair of loose jeans and a t-shirt. And instead of talking about books or what was happening in the news, she talked about boys, parties, clothes, and shoes.

She was a lone, in spite of being surrounded by people everyday. She drove home to a huge empty house that her parents never seemed to stick around long enough to live in with her. There was always something that kept them out of the country, most of the time they never told her their plans, just left and she came home to it empty. They left her a housekeeper of sorts, but she was gone by six in the evening. It left plenty of time for homework and reading. She'd learned early that nothing would change things. If she complained, they gave her money. If she wanted to spend time with them, they gave her credit cards. And if she wanted to go with them on their trips, they brought her a car. Parenting in the making that left her lonely, confused, and desperate for attention.

It was no wonder she was a bitch.

But she was Cordelia Chase, so she hid behind her sarcastic remarks and hurtful comments to avoid actually feeling. That was until Xander Harris dragged her into his world, a world that consisted of monsters and demons and evil lurking under the seemingly normal lifestyle of Sunnydale. And although it frightened her, she thought she was fitting in with that band of misfits.

As she glanced around the darkened parking lot, it seemed she didn't even belong there. The Scooby troop had no room for her, busy comforting Buffy. She clenched her fists, "Damn Buffy."

"Sounds like you hate her," A voice whispered behind her.

Cordelia reacted instinctively and turned to spray them with her pepper spray that was attached to her keys. She heard a loud growl and then she was horrified that she managed to spray Angel in the face. His face had shifted into its vampire form, bumps and ridges changing the normal handsome face into something . . . excitingly dangerous and forbidden. His hands furiously wiped at his eyes, as he glared at her.

"Don't do that," She snapped. "You of all people should know that Sunnydale comes equipped with a warning sign." She gestured around the empty parking lot. "Dark, creatures of the night, and a girl with warm blood."

Angelus licked his lips at her words.

After spending time with his childe, he decided it was time to let Buffy know exactly who and what he was. He'd planned on having a bit of fun with the slayer before killing her. He planned on starting with her sidekicks, breaking their necks and leaving them for Buffy. Eventually she would jump at shadows alone in the dark and then he would attack and kill her, draining her blood as he watched the light fade from her eyes.

It was a good plan. But that was before he captured this creature in the dark.

From the trees he'd smelled her misery rolling off her waves and it intrigued him. As he paused to study her fully, he found his loins clenching with desire at the dark beauty. She was intoxicating with her long dark tresses falling down her back, inviting him to brush the strands aside and inhale her scent of apples and jasmine. She was wearing a black dress that hugged her sensuous curves and long legs. The heels only added to the attraction, his eyes wondering to her ankles and moving up her length slowly. Heaven. Her golden skin begged him to kiss and stroke it. Her heart was thundering like music that he yearned to dance to.

He watched as she reached one of her perfectly trimmed nails into her purse and pulled out a tissue, "I'd hate to have Buffy bitch because I damaged her boyfriend."

Angelus tipped his head and liked the shade of hazel in her eyes, offering mystery and something deeper. He wondered what it would take to seduce this creature to the dark side. She would make a perfect addition to family with that supple body wrapped around him as she breathlessly called out his name in pain and pleasure.

"Boy you're extra broody tonight," She observed. "I guess that is probably why Buffy is crying that you're missing."

He smiled, "Why are you out here alone?" He inquired, moving closer to the seductive beauty. He didn't want to talk about the Slayer, he wanted to taste Cordelia.

Cordelia shrugged and lowered her gaze, "Research was boring."

Angelus sniffed the air and caught the scent of . . . Harris. He growled, his fists clenching with anger and the need to go and smash that loser to a bloody pulp. The boy would learn soon enough not to touch what belonged to Angelus. And somewhere over the course of this encounter, Cordelia Chase had become his. No one would touch her and live. And if that meant killing Harris, he'd do it with glee.

He controlled his anger, forcing himself not to growl. "Why do I have a feeling Harris has something to do with it?" He accused harshly.

Cordelia lifted her head up and crossed her arms protectively, "What makes you say that?"

That fire that flashed in her hazel eyes burned against his flesh, exciting him. Cordelia was heady and beautiful, the right combination of sassy and intelligence. He inhaled the air and caught the scent of something new: desire. She was attracted to him, and it heightened his senses further. He'd always been eager for the beginning of a game, but this time he wanted it over, especially if she was his prize.

He smiled, whispering, "Because I can smell him all over you."

"You can?" She squeaked and paled. She said sniffing her clothes and hair, not realizing that he was moving even closer to her body. "It doesn't smell bad, does it?" She asked, glancing up and realizing how close he'd gotten. "I mean I don't stink."

"No," He moved closer, his face dropping against her hair and inhaling her scent. "You smell like apples and jasmine." He lifted his head and his breath swept across her cheek as he whispered, "But I am a vampire and I can smell his scent clinging to your clothing."

She nodded shakily. "Xander Harris is not my finest moment." She admitted. "But something about the way he kisses me . . ." She stopped talking when she heard him growling softly.

Then she tilted her head up to look into his face and saw the desire swirling in those dark eyes. Cordelia had always been attracted to Angel on some level from their first encounter. But it was all too apparent that he'd only had eyes for the blonde slayer. He brushed by her without a second glance and honed in on Buffy like she was everything to him. It had been a low blow to her ego, considering that she was the most popular girl in school. But after discovering he was a vampire, she was glad he'd denied her. The thought of kissing cold hard lips . . . kissing lips of Angel.

He heart skipped a beat at the thought, and his eyes signaled he'd heard the change.

When did Angel become so earth shattering sexy? He was a broody vampire who didn't talk much and clung so tightly to the slayer, Cordelia thought they were inseparable. But tonight there was something strangely different about him. Maybe it was the way his eyes were looking at her, as if he never wanted to be apart from her. Whatever had happened to Angel, she had to remember that he belonged to Buffy and was therefore unattainable. Unavailable.

She took a step back. "Maybe you should go find Buffy."

He took a step closer. "We were talking."

"I should really . . ." She stepped back. He stepped closer to her, his hard body brushing against her softness. Desire swirled deep inside of her and no matter how hard she fought it, it seemed to be winning. She wet her lips with her tongue, whispering, "Um . . ."

Angelus could smell her arousal with every step he took closer to her. And with every step she took back from him, the closer she came to the building behind her. Just a few more steps and he'd have her. He licked his lips with anticipation. "You were sharing your slipping into Harris's clutches." His mouth tightened on the words, but his face reflected no anger. "And why you were standing out here alone." _Waiting for me._

She stepped back again, her teeth nibbling on her lower lip. Angelus saw the move and his loins tightened further. If she needed something to nibble on, he'd be happy to share a certain body part that was that now standing at attention. In fact, the thought of her lips on his hard shaft made him lengthen further. The woman was a temptress and he was looking forward to making her his. He stepped forward again, liking that he had her so flustered she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Her eyes, her body were focused on him and it made this dance even sweeter.

"The thing with Xander . . ." She frowned, "I'm not even sure what the "thing" is."

"Hormones," He supplied with a smile.

She felt her stomach shake at the truth of his words. Then she ran a shaky hand through her hair and stepped back again. She gasped when her back hit the wall behind her and she realized she was trapped between the wall and a vampire who was playing an unrecognizable game with her. He covered the distance immediately, his arms braced on either side of her head, his breath sweeping against her flush skin. His body pressed against hers, the contrast of the hard and softness not lost. He towered over her, his dominance normally a turn off, but when she looked up into those eyes filled with unrequited desire, she lost words.

His hand trailed up the length of her shoulder, burning a path against her skin. "How did it start?" He inquired.

Cordelia swallowed, "Um the night Spike attacked the school." She admitted.

Angelus growled at the thought of the bumbling idiot touching her that long. The only thing that stopped him from ripping out the boy's lungs was that he could smell the innocence of Cordelia's virginity. He never realized just how much of a fool the soul had been until right at that moment. A hot woman like this had been standing in the shadows wanting to be taken and possessed and he passed it up to play with the Slayer. Well the soul was and idiot, but Angelus certainly wasn't.

He moved his thumb towards the pulse at her throat. "But it was just kissing." His eyes dared her to lie.

Cordelia nodded, "I . . . some groping in the closet."

His eyes turned gold with anger. Fumbling Harris touched her . . . felt the soft round lobes of her ass with his hands. Cordelia belonged to him. Not because she wanted to, but because he said so. And no one touched his property. Not even his childe did without his express permission. Everyone assumed that vampires were without qualms about sharing bedmates and inviting people into their bed. Perhaps there were such vampires in existence, but he didn't share.

Cordelia knew something was wrong. This Angel was acting too odd. Deciding it was time to mention his girlfriend, "Um, Buffy . . ."

"Buffy is a dead subject for me." He growled.

"You broke up?" She inquired, stifling the moan when his finger rubbing her skin softly.

"More like I had a moment of clarity," He whispered. Then he lowered his lips closer to her skin, needing to taste her. "I discovered that she wasn't everything I wanted." He allowed them to graze across her neck, his tongue licking her pulse point. Cordelia groaned weakly, clinging to his massive frame. "Or needed."

"But she's the . . ." Cordelia shuddered as his tongue licked her again, stroking her like a cat. She'd only imagined doing things like this in the dark with Angel . . . but this far outweighed her fantasy. Not even Xander's teenage gropes made her feel like this. "The Slayer." She reminded him, trying to keep a level head.

"I know," He licked her again, his knee nudging apart her legs to edge completely against her softness. "Vampires and slayers don't make good company."

"Xander . . ." She felt his teeth scrap her skin at the mention of Xander's name.

"Is a fool," He tasted her again, moving his waist so that his hard length was pressing against her hips. The evidence of his desire was clear when she gasped, and he rotated his hips again for emphasis.

"OH . . ." She breathed softly. Her hands found their way to his shoulders and dug in deep with her nails. She heard his soft groan and she felt her knees start to tremble.

He pushed against her harder, a soft moan escaping her lips. Angelus never thought to find such a hot temptress in a virgin. But he'd always been a lucky bastard . . . except for that whole soul incident . . . and he wasn't about to let this gift go. She was fire and ice and his body was going to slide into her warmth like butter.

"This is how a real man pays attention to what is important." He grinded against her again, and she moaned loudly.

"Buffy . . ." She was gasping at straws and losing the battle.

The name brought another growl from his lips. He moved swiftly, trapping her hands with one of his against the wall above her head. She glanced up into those eyes that were shifting back from gold to black and shivered, but not in fear but wanton desire. His other hand moved down to the length of her waist, as he lifted her leg slightly and laid it across his thigh. His hands started tugging at her dress, pulling it up to expose her lower half. He knew his coat was protecting her body from being seen by anyone walking by. The lighting above the building wasn't all the good to begin with. Then he nudged his hips forward, his length pressing into the soft folds of her panties. Both groaned at the contact.

His hand moved to tilt her face up to meet his eyes, his thumb caressing her jaw. "This isn't about Buffy."

"It's always about Buffy." Cordelia replied with bitterness.

"No, it isn't." He corrected, his hips pivoting against her.

Both moaned again. Then he moved his hand, her eyes still locked on his and dipped a single finger into her panties, touching her sex. She shuddered around his finger, her eyes dropping slightly with need and desire. He knew at that moment that Xander had never taken things between them that far. They hadn't even gotten to the best parts yet and she was panting needlessly against his frame. She smelled incredible and she belonged to him.

"Does that feel like this is about Buffy?" He asked, his lips moving to her ear, nuzzling the skin behind it. "This is about you and me and all the things we are going to do together."

Her mind went white hot with lust for a second, and then she looked up at the man holding onto her this way. She knew at that moment that this wasn't the Angel that lived to serve and protect the Slayer. He may have shared the same face as Buffy's Angel, but he was different in every way. This one hated the Slayer, the way he said her name was proof of that. Then there was how he was speaking to her. Buffy's Angel had always been a silent broody man, who whispered with Buffy, but never said much to anyone else. So the question remained, who was this man making her feel so damn good?

"What happened to you?" She asked, needing to know.

Angelus was rarely ever surprised, but the vixen had managed to do just that. She had known instantly that he wasn't the same Angel that cohabitated with the Slayer. She was sexy and perceptive. More surprising was that not even Buffy, a woman who'd claim to love the ensouled version of himself, could decipher that he was different that morning. Yet he'd spent less then ten minutes in this dark Vixen's company and she knew immediately he wasn't Buffy's Angel. It made his demon shout. He wondered how she would react discovering that he was Angelus.

And then he decided that she needed to know who was going to possess her completely. "I'm not Angel, Vixen." He admitted. "Soul's gone and . . ."

"Angelus," She whispered.

She waited for the fear to overwhelm her and was surprised when it never came. She remembered hearing about Angelus from Giles and Buffy in the library talking. After Angel's appearance in Buffy's life, Giles thought she should know what he was capable of. Giles moved on to tell her how Angelus stalked, tortured, and killed his prey for the fun of it. He was pure evil with the face of an angel. Giles recounted his actions for over a hundred and fifty years, before finally being cursed with a soul by gypsies.

"In the flesh," He teased, his hand moving once again against his sex.

"What . . ." She moaned loudly, unable to stop the sensations that were flooding through her body. Didn't matter if it was Angelus or Angel or the devil himself, as long as he didn't stop what he was doing to her.

Angelus continued moving against her, his finger rubbing the hot spot between her legs. His kitten was mewing loudly and rubbing herself against him. He lowered his lips to hers, needing to taste her. He loved that contrast of the soft and hard, as his lips settled onto hers. She was so soft, raging with fire for him and his administrations on her body. He wanted to do nothing more than strip her naked and ram into her until she was his mind, body, and soul. His tongue probed her mouth, delighting when they parted and he was granted access. She knew who he was and what he'd done, and she was holding onto him as if he was the only thing keeping her grounded.

The feeling made his demon happy.

His tongue explored the sweetness of her mouth, loving how she tasted and the warm of her flesh against his cool one. His hips started grinding into her harder, his finger still working her nub. Needing him, Cordelia allowed her hips to ride his hand, pleasure soaring throughout her body. His mouth was hot and hard against her and she felt his shaft digging against her damp panties. He allowed her hands to drop and instead of pushing him away, they drug him closer against her warm flesh. He felt her hard nipples poking his chest and he drove harder into her mouth.

He sensed she was almost ready to explode and he wanted it. Wanted her to lose complete control in his arms. He extended his fangs and made a small cut on her tongue, her blood mingling with the sweet taste of her mouth and he savored both with a loud roar. Expecting her to push him away, she pulled him even closer, her hips still moving in time with his fingers. His Kitten was quite a tiger.

He pulled back, needing to watch his Vixen come apart in his arms. His eyes met hers, drugged with desire and need. "Fly My Vixen," He ordered and pushed his hard length against her, as his finger flicked her nub once.

They both came with a loud shout.

She clung to his frame, the tremors moving throughout her body made her legs rubbery. Never had she experienced anything like that, and that was with the clothes on. She thought Xander had made her tremble, but that been nothing compared to the volcano that Angelus just set off in her. Keeping her fingers on his shoulders, she leaned back against the wall with a shaky breath.

"Are you going to kill me?" She asked.

He raised an eyebrow, "No."

"Then what are you going to do with me?" She asked.

His thumb moved to trace the outline of her lips, "Make you mine."


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Somehow the word "mine" sent tiny shivers throughout her body. But she knew that it wasn't from fear, but because the thought of belonging to someone so completely excited her. It didn't matter that the man holding her tightly in his arms was a deranged vampire that was one fourth of what was known as the Scourge of Europe. Or that he was known to stalk and kill his victims for fun. None of that mattered when those eyes, flickering between gold and black, were looking at her like that. Possessed . . . she wondered briefly what that would feel like.

Cordelia looked at Angelus, "I-I . . ."

He leaned down and kissed her lips softly, "Of course, the first thing I was going to do was snap your neck and leave you for Buffy to find."

Once again it always came back to Buffy. Anger surged within her, giving her the strength to push him back slightly. "It's always about Buffy." She snapped.

He growled, "NO!" He moved back against her. "I said at first." He reminded her. "But when I saw you and smelled you, I knew you were mine."

"Pfft!" She rolled her eyes, "And that is supposed to make me swoon?" She dropped her leg and started adjusting her clothing, sending a shaking hand through her hair and straightening out the tangled tresses. "Because I've heard of better lines."

"From Harris," He snorted. "I doubt it." And then he leaned in close again, "And I didn't say you had a choice."

Cordelia met his gaze, "And what do you think Buffy is going to say about the arrangement?"

"Nothing," He told her with a smile. "Buffy is going to be dead soon."

"Sure," She nodded sarcastically. "Because I've seen the soul version of you shacking up with Miss. Slayer and I'm not all that convinced that the Angelus version won't be doing the same." She pushed him back and placed a hand on her hip. "Buffy gets her way in everything."

Angelus only leaned against the wall, smirking, "Please enlighten me."

She nodded and then started pacing. "Buffy wanted to be a cheerleader, she became one and I was pushed on the secondary list." She counted off one thing. "Then she joins that Scooby gang and they get out of whatever period they want in order to save the human race."

Angelus watched as this feisty Vixen's eyes flashed with anger. Instead of pissing him off, it turned him on.

"Willow and Xander hang on every single word she says," She brushed back her hair. "It's like she's the messiah and they are her disciples or something. Violence ensues whenever she is around and she gets detention when most students would be expelled. But that Giles pulls strings for his "Oh So Awesome Slayer"."

"Sound jealous," Angelus pointed out.

Cordelia narrowed her eyes in anger, "What is there to be jealous of?" She asked. "Buffy is a blonde stick body with losers for friends and a modest home." She shrugged. "I have a body that oozes tempting," Angelus could hardly dispute that fact, "I am the most popular girl at school. I'm smart and I don't take shit from no one." She looked at him again. "No competition."

"I know," He agreed, his eyes trailing up the length of her frame hungrily.

"Men!" She snorted. "And the soul version of you was no different. He arrives and he's got his tongue hanging out like a lost puppy who found a new owner. If I didn't know better, I'd swear there was an invisible leash connected between the two of them."

Angelus laughed, "The soul was a jackass."

"Wait," She frowned, "You knew what the soul was doing?"

"Same body aien't it," He gestured to his frame that had Cordelia looking at him.

She could hardly dispute that factor with those massive shoulders and a chest that made her want to reach out and touch it. Angel had been hot, but Angelus was a temptation oozing sex. He was dressed in a snug pair of leather pants that hugged his lower half like skin, emphasizing a very well endowed package. His shirt was dark red, bringing some color to his normally pale frame, and making him seem even hotter. It was left unbuttoned to reveal a large potion of that massive chest that had her drooling and revealed a necklace with a medallion. And a black leather trench finished his look.

"Um, I think you dress better." She admitted.

"Always was a snappy dresser," He laughed.

Seconds later, she found herself back in his arms. Her hands were resting on his massive forearms, while his hands moved to bring her closer to his hips. His lips hovered near her ear, licking gently that enticed shivers throughout her body. "The soul was in charge of the body, but his demon," He whispered into her ear, "Me, was locked into a cage. Painfully aware of everything that idiot was doing, but unable to stop him."

"So basically the soul was humanity shoved into a demon's body and running it." She simplified everything.

He pulled back to look at her with surprise and pride. "I knew you'd be smart."

"I'm not a ditzy cheerleader," She scoffed. Then she untangled herself. "And that is how I also know that the demon is going to sniff after Buffy too." She brushed her dress lightly. "I already have a boyfriend sniffing after the Princess, so no thanks."

The thought of Harris touching her made him growl. His face shifted into the vampire form and his body was soon pressing her against the building harshly. "If he touches you, kisses you," He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze. "Or if I smell him on you anywhere, I will kill him and send his head to you in a box."

She opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly she sensed he wasn't joking.

He tightened his arms not to hurt her, but enough where she couldn't break free. "Mine." He growled. "You are mine and I will not share with anyone."

She swallowed and she felt a tremor of fear, "I – I . . . I could just tell Buffy."

"Tell me what," Buffy's voice penetrated their conversation.

Angelus's eyes told Cordelia that he already knew she was coming. He probably sensed her from the moment she exited the building. "Forgive me," He whispered low enough that only she could hear. Then without warning, he grabbed her neck and twirled them around to face Buffy. Cordelia saw that Buffy hadn't come alone. Xander, Willow, Giles, and Jenny Calendar were with her. Angelus tugged her back against his massive chest, his hand circling her stomach to keep her tightly against him. He wasn't hurting her, she realized, only holding her so the others would stop advancing.

"Hello Slayer," Angelus greeted her.

"Angel what is going on," Buffy asked with tears in her eyes.

Cordelia watched the Slayer crumb to a sobbing teenage girl and felt nothing but disgust. It was unreal that the "chosen one" couldn't even figure out that the Vampire holding her securely to his chest wasn't her boyfriend any longer. Shouldn't there be an entrance test into the Slayer position? It saddened Cordelia to think that the fate of the world was resting on the shoulders of a girl wouldn't couldn't even tell if her boyfriend had gone all homicidal or not.

"Oh for Jesus sake," Cordelia snapped. "Angel is gone." She looked at Angelus, who was moving his lips gently down the side of her throat. "It's Angelus."

"I think I know my own boyfriend," Buffy snapped at her, turning to face Angelus. "Why are you doing this?"

"Damn the Slayer isn't all that bright," Angelus smirked cruelly. "Maybe it's the blonde hair?" He fingered Cordelia's long locks thoughtfully.

"Your girlfriend," She hissed, trying to get him to stop.

"Mine," He returned possessively, reminding her that she belonged to him.

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "She's going to kill me."

He growled at the thought.

"Angel," Buffy sounded close to tears. "What are you doing with Cordelia?"

"Making her mine," He answered honestly.

"I'm dead," Cordelia groaned, sagging against him. Angelus laughed.

"That's my girlfriend," Xander reminded Angelus.

He laughed again, "No, she is mine." He corrected. "And if anyone touches her in any way," He narrowed his eyes on Buffy, "I will kill them and send their hands to her as a gift."

Xander paled, gulped and stepped back remaining silent. Her boyfriend . . . well apparently ex now . . . champion of absolutely nothing. While Angelus wasn't the most relaxing company, at least she got the feeling he wouldn't let her go so easily. Xander didn't even fight.

Buffy glanced at Cordelia and then looked at Angelus, "Angel?"

Angelus sighed, "Maybe I need to kill someone so she gets it right." He murmured in aggravation. "It's Angelus." He spoke slowly. "You fucked the soul right out of me, Slayer."

Cordelia stiffed in his arms and Angelus cursed for being so blunt. Cordelia accepted the soul was gone, but he never got around to explaining how. Thoughts of Buffy and it always being about Buffy ran through her mind once more. It didn't matter that it was the soul that spelt with Buffy, the point was the man . . . vampire holding her tightly against him had touched Buffy Summers and she couldn't think past that. She suddenly felt ill and humiliated and angry.

She struggled to get loose. "I told you it's all about Buffy."

Before Angelus could reply, the situation and the words of what was happening finally sank into the group across from them. Giles paled. "Oh dear heavens," Giles whispered. "Angelus . . ." He removed his glasses and rubbed his forehead.

"Buffy," Jenny asked her softly, "Did you um . . . did you . . ."

Buffy turned to her with a sad nod.

"Oh my god," Xander exclaimed. "How could you with Deadboy?" He shouted. "He's a vampire."

"I guess Buffy doesn't care who it is," Cordelia chastised her. "As long as it's always about her in the end."

Angelus growled at those words. He wanted to twist the knife into Buffy and reassure Cordelia that he wanted her. "Trust me, the soul may have reached bliss, but I wouldn't even have been satisfied." He informed Buffy cruelly, causing her to gasp again. "I guess the temptation might have been the fact you were a virgin at the time." He shrugged, "All well, maybe in time you'll get good enough to sleep with things above the ground."

Cordelia had to admit Angelus certainly knew how to twist the knife deep into the heart.

Then Angelus turned to Cordelia, drawing her tighter against his frame, "Besides, I've always have a fondness for dark Vixens who can stir a man's body with a simple look." She shivered at remembrance of what they just did a few short minutes ago. "I prefer Fire to Ice." He glared at Buffy when he said it.

"I know Angel is in there somewhere," Buffy continued as if she hadn't heard a thing he'd said. "You love me."

Angelus laughed, "No the soul loved you." He licked the side of Cordelia's face. "I am going to kill you." Then he bent down and whispered into Cordelia's ear, "Remember what I said, Vixen." And then he tensed, pushed her onto the ground, and disappeared into the darkness.

**_Later in the Library_**

Cordelia sat at the library table, a glass of water in her hands, silently trying to process what just happened outside a short while ago. Outwardly, she was fine with a scraped knee, a bruised elbow, and some hand marks on her waist from when he held her. Inside she was shaking on the verge of an internal meltdown. Angelus, one of the most feared and dangerous vampire predators, had claimed her as his own.

Not to mention all the things they did before that.

He might have been a vampire, but when he touched her, she was burning up. His kisses left a taste lingering in her mouth of blood and him. She didn't know how she knew what he tasted like, only that she knew somewhere inside it was him. She'd always kept a part of herself closed off from others, but with Angelus, he'd ripped down the walls and met the real her. Met her, craved her, and wanted her. She knew from listening to Giles talk that Angelus was single minded in his obsession.

Apparently she was his new one.

A part of her accepted his possession, giving into the demands he'd set on her body outside. After all, he wasn't a groping teenage boy in a mop closet, but a man with centuries of experience trapped in his body; experience of knowing how to pleasure a woman for hours that left her needy and begging for more. He knew where to touch her to make her cling to him. He knew what to say to make her moan. And he knew that somewhere deep inside Cordelia, she wanted more.

But she also had to understand that he was a vampire, a dangerous vampire that was known to kill on a whim. He cut a bloody path across Europe killing and doing whatever he liked without consequences or a conscience. If she knew that, then she knew that his obsession would only last as long as he wanted it too. The moment he found something else, Cordelia would die.

And that made her shake.

Then there were the changes in this group. While she was never one of them completely, she could already feel they were pulling further from her. Xander couldn't even bring himself to help her off the ground outside, afraid to touch her. It was Jenny Calendar, a woman only recently allowed into the sanctuary of the library secret, that assisted her off the ground and inquired after her injures. Willow couldn't even look at her, still reeling from the earlier discovery of Xander and her locked together. Giles was busy muttering about problems and death and he was unprepared for any of it. And that left Buffy . . . the Slayer who'd lost a boyfriend and gained an enemy, glaring at her like it was Cordelia's fault.

It was all too much to handle.

She dropped the glass onto the table and stood up, shaking out her clothing. "I think I'll go home and take a bath." She announced.

"Cordelia," Giles finally acknowledged her. "This isn't the time to go off running by yourself."

She laughed shakily, revealing just how not okay she truly was. "You think I don't know that?" She snapped. "You think I'm not aware that a deranged vampire who was part of the Scourge of Europe claimed me as one of his." She crossed her arms. "Believe me, I know exactly what Angelus is capable of, I heard you telling Buffy in great detail."

Giles paled, removing his glasses, "I . . . Cordelia, what did he say?"

Buffy nodded, "What did you do to him to make him like that?"

Cordelia glared at Buffy, "It wasn't me that made him homicidal." She reminded Buffy. "That was you sleeping with the soul, Angel."

"That was Angel," Buffy snapped.

"Pfft! Keep dreaming," Cordelia snorted. "Angelus is operating that body now and the sooner you deal with that fact, the better it will be for the rest of us."

"Cordelia is right," Giles agreed. "Angel is gone and you need to deal with that."

"I will never deal with that fact that Angel is choosing Cordelia Chase over me." Buffy stood up. "My Angel would never pick you."

"Duh!" Cordelia agreed. "Because he'd not your Angel. He is Angelus." She shouted. A – N – G – E – L – U – S." She spelled it out. "And maybe he'd be obsessed with you, if you'd all have found the time out of comforting poor Buffy to walk me to my car."

Xander guiltily lowered his gaze. While Giles cleaned his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Willow just pretended that she was busy on her computer. Buffy paled. And Jenny sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, he said he was going to snap my neck and leave it for Buffy to find." She announced.

"Obviously he changed his mind," Xander tossed out.

"Not because of what I said," Cordelia assured him. "He told me that when he got closer, the smell of me, the sight of me, something deep inside me called out to him and he decided to make me his." Then she shivered, "He said I didn't have a choice, because he always gets what he wants."

Giles sighed, "I guess for the time being, Cordelia will have to be protected."

"Cause you've done such a great job up to now," She quipped dryly. "Thanks for the support, but I'll just make sure I am home before dark and don't invite any pale badly dressed strangers into my home."

"But he should be obsessed with me," Buffy exclaimed harshly. "I am more of his type. He spent a hundred and fifty years with Darla."

Cordelia stared at the delusional Slayer and wanted to smack some sense into her. Apparently judging by the look of guilt that crossed Giles features, he'd never gotten around to telling Buffy about Drusilla. Cordelia only knew because she dug deep into the Watcher's journals to learn all she could about Angelus/Angel. She knew better than anyone standing in the room, with the exception of Giles, just what Angelus was capable of, capable of and it scared her. But if Buffy wanted to live in the world of make believe, then she'd let her.

She picked up her purse, "If you want a deranged vampire stalking you, fine by me." She started towards the door. "I'll just spend my evenings at home until you either kill him or wind up dead."

"Wait up," Xander jumped up and followed her out the door.

Cordelia glanced around outside before exiting, never shaking the feeling that Angelus was out there somewhere in the darkness watching her. She heard Xander's hesitant steps behind her, but she kept moving towards her car. She rubbed her arms absently, overwhelmed with the evening's event that were beyond her control. If not for her iron determination not to break down in public, she would have started crying a long time ago.

"Look," He said, moving beside her, "Things being the way they are . . ."

"You mean the fact that I have a psycho vampire claiming me."

"Yeah," Xander whispered, glancing around. "I don't want to die, Cordy."

She would have laughed at the pleading sound of his words, but it was too close to what she was already feeling. "I don't either." She assured him. "I didn't ask for this."

"I know," He agreed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "But maybe we should take a step back."

And there it was, Xander's out. "Are you saying you want to break up?" She demanded.

"I don't think we were dating," He shrugged. "What happened between us was just kissing . . . I mean it didn't mean anything, right?"

Her heart shuddered and almost threatened to stop. It hurt to know that whatever she thought she was building with Xander meant absolutely nothing to him. It might as well have been Willow he was groping in the dark with. She felt humiliated and disgusted with herself for allowing herself to get caught up in an illusion.

She proudly lifted her head and shrugged carelessly, "Just kissing." She agreed. "Nothing to get worked up over."

Xander nodded, glad she understood. "Besides with all this happening with Angel, Buffy is going to need me and I should focus . . ."

That was too much.

She stopped, clenched her fists and turned to face Xander with hatred. "Oh, absolutely Buffy should always come first." She sneered through her pain. "Never mind I was the one claimed by a murdering vampire. Not to mention, I was almost killed to leave as a present for Buffy." She waved her fist around. "Pfft! Buffy should be consoled."

"Cordelia . . ." Xander whispered, afraid he'd taken things too far.

"No, I'm being entirely too selfish by taking up so much of your precious time from consoling Buffy." She put her hands on her hips. "You don't have to worry anymore about me, Xander."

"That isn't . . . I mean we still have to protect you." He insisted.

"No you don't," She snapped. "I am a big girl who is more than capable of looking out myself." She dug into her purse for her keys. "Rest assured that Buffy needs you more than I ever will." She opened her car door and slipped inside. "You should go be with Buffy, she's the only one you have room for in your life anyway."

Then she slammed closed the door and shoved the keys into the ignition, determined not to cry. She would not give Xander the satisfaction of seeing her broke. She started up her car and sped out the parking lot, refusing to glance into the rear view mirror.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Cordelia quietly closed the door to her house, although she wasn't sure why. She was alone. She was always alone. Her parents were still in Europe or Asia or somewhere without her and Rosalie had already left for the evening. Determined not to cry, she dropped her things onto the table by the door and moved towards the stairs without bothering to turn on a light. She'd made the trip a hundred times before, tonight was no different.

As she walked up the massive spiral staircase, she wondered why her parents insisted on buying such an elaborate home to begin with. It certainly wasn't because Cordelia needed it. What could she possibly do with seven bedrooms all by herself? Her parents in the last sixteen years had only managed to stay at home one full month and that was because her father had business in town. The visit was a whirl of parties and country club affairs for her mother, while her father existed at the office or with his lawyers. And Cordelia spent that month visiting Harmony or one of her other friends. Sometimes she got the feeling that her parents had her because abortion wasn't something they believed in and her conception was an accident. How else could she explain a cold empty house and two parents who didn't care?

Although the house was spacious and homey, she never spent much time in the rest of the place. The kitchen was large enough to cook for fifty or more people, but Cordelia never learned how to cook. Rosalie left her dinner sometimes in the oven, but most of the time it was take-out or munching on celery while she did her homework in her room. The living room was too much like a showroom for guests to appreciate and not get too comfortable in. There was a laundry room somewhere off the kitchen, which was another place that she spent frequent time inside. Rosalie did her clothing when she was little, but Cordelia insisted when she turned thirteen that she needed to learn how to do her own laundry. Her friends would shudder at the thought of her doing manual labor. The pool was used when she had guests over, as she always kept her friends out of the house by insisting that her parents didn't like people trampling throughout the house.

Her room was her sanctuary. It was her place to shed her façade and just be herself. Inviting in her friends would be like inviting them into the real Cordelia's mind. One look in the room and you would know who she truly was. The massive bookcase with every kind of book reflected her love for knowledge and reading. The stacks of CDs next to her stereo showed that she enjoyed a variety of music from classical to jazz. Her walls were littered with different people, most of them famous people that inspired her in history. And the bed standing in the middle of the room with a white comforter offered her solace when she was hurting. This room was who she was and not who she became outside these walls.

Entering the room, she dropped her bag onto the floor and slipped out of her shoes. Then she moved towards the bed, sinking down into its inviting depths with a sigh. She was still humming from what happened and she'd like nothing more than to take a long shower and curl up in her bed. However, she could smell Angelus on the clothes she wore, his words and arms wrapped around her offering her everything she'd dreamed about. The feel of his lips on her skin, caressing her and bringing her to heights she's never explored. She wasn't ready to lose that yet.

She glanced at the balcony doors and pushed herself to her feet, padding quietly to the doors. She slipped outside, savoring the gentle caress of the warm wind against her skin. She wished it was early morning so she could feel the sun, taking away the freezing cold that was buried deep inside her. She moved towards the iron railing, gripping it with her hands and allowed her eyes to move over the impeccable landscape grounds.

"Hello Vixen," Angelus's voice cut into her thoughts.

She turned and spotted his dark frame leaning against the house, watching her ever move. Her heart immediately started racing and her skin felt like it was one fire. She held her trembling hands against her stomach, hoping to hold herself together. At this point, however, her knees were threatening to give out from under her and she found her feet wanting to take the few steps that separated them.

"What are you doing here," She demanded, hoping her voice didn't tremble.

He smiled, "Had to make sure my girl got home safe." Then his eyes moved up the length of her body, enticing tiny shivers.

God help her! She forced herself to turn away from him, gripping the railing with her hands. Bravery returned, she tossed back, "I'm not your girl."

She felt him move behind her, his body presses tightly against hers. He smelled so good that she wanted to lean back into his embrace and let him do whatever he wanted. His hand moved to push aside her dark hair, ghostly the nape of her neck. There was that familiar yearning stirring deep within her body and she couldn't fight the temptation any longer. She sank back against him with a soft sigh, closing her eyes and savoring the feel of his hard body against hers. His fingers traced the lines of her neck softly and then his lips moved to kiss the path he'd just traced. She shivered slightly and pressed against him further.

"You definitely belong to me," He whispered at her ear. "Your head may be fighting it, but your body knows the truth."

_Fight! Fight him!_ "Is that what you told Drusilla?" Cordelia asked, chewing on her bottom lip. She wanted the truth, and yet a part of her was scared that he would give her it. That he would tell her that she was nothing more than just an amusement and evidently he'd leave her too.

His hands stilled on her shoulders, but she could sense he was weighing the question in his mind, deciding what she should know. Then he turned her around and pulled her against his chest, his hands tangling in her hair, forcing her to look directly into his eyes, eyes that were flittering back and forth between black and gold. His thumb caressed her cheek gently, answering softly, "Dru was different."

"Judging from what I know about her," Cordelia tilted her chin up further, "Some could argue that I look like her."

Angelus leaned down, his breath brushing against her cheek, "You are nothing like Dru."

"Duh!" She snorted. "I'm not a vampire . . . yet."

He smiled, "And what is you think you know about Dru?"

She pushed him away slightly, needing the space to think without him clouding up her mind. He released her reluctantly, moving to brace himself against the wall. He watched her with amusement as she brushed her dress with shaking hands, brushing those same shaking fingers through her hair. She wasn't frightened of him, she was affected by his presence. The further proof was that she hadn't yet showered off his touch from her body. If she hated his touch, she would have immediately moved towards the shower and washed it away. Cordelia Chase was succumbing to his charms and the thought of having her in his bed quickened his loins.

She realized her knees were trembling, as she straightened out her clothes. His presence made her off balance and it was a new experience for her. She leaned heavily against the railing behind her, her hands gripping into the iron bars to keep them from shaking.  
"Drusilla was a young catholic who lived in London with her parents and two sisters." He nodded she continue. "She had psychic abilities, but believed they were evil and wanted to enter a nunnery to cleanse herself of them." Cordelia sighed. "She was pure and beautiful and completely innocent."

"She was fragile," Angelus added. "Sometimes too fragile, even now."

"Whatever is was, you were drawn to her and set about destroying her." She paused and then continued. "You tortured and killed her family."

"She intrigued me," Angelus admitted. "Coming across someone so pure, so innocent . . . I had to know what it would take to drive her to the darkness."

"Is that what you are doing with me?" She asked. "Seducing me to the dark side?"

His eyes glittered with wickedness, as his eyes raked her frame. He licked his lips and answered, "No seducing you into my bed." It was a simple answer. An honest one.

She moved a hand to her throat, pulling at the collar of her dress that suddenly had become uncomfortable under the onslaught of his eyes. She felt her hand trembling against her skin, her heart thundering wildly in her chest, and the smile that spread across his face signaled that she knew he'd heard. He was maddening one minute and she felt consumed by his presence the next. Maybe she was already going crazy.

"Drusilla fled to a nunnery in Prague," Cordelia continued the story. "On the day she was to take her vows, you killed everyone in front of her. You drove her insane and decided to turn her." She shivered slightly.

"Had to have proof of my deeds," He shrugged. He glanced down at his hands and then looked up at her, not at all ashamed that he drove a woman insane and turned her into a monster of that night. "Those were some of my good times." He shrugged, "I have a hundred stories I could share."

"Is that what you'll do to me?" Cordelia asked. "Kill my family and friends and then turn me?" She met his gaze, "Because if that is the plan it sucks." He arched and eyebrow with curiosity. "My parents are gone all the time in Europe or whatever it is that I'm not. And my friends . . . killing Harmony and Aura wouldn't be a big loss."

"What about Buffy and her group?" Angelus inquired.

"Pfft!" She gestured with her hand. "You're going to kill them anyway and not because it'll drive me insane."

He laughed, "You have a very clear understanding of who and what I am."

"You are a vampire." She reminded him. "A killer who pleasures himself on other's pain."

He moved suddenly, trapping her between the railing and his hard length, "The only pleasure I am interested in with you is the kind where both of us will get off." His hands brushed against her throat, rubbing the pulse point at her throat. "And no, I will not be killing you." He leaned forward and kissed her neck, his teeth gently scraping her skin. She moaned and swayed, gripping his arms to keep her grounded. "I like you warm." He whispered against her skin.

"Why me?" She asked, hating how breathless and needy her voice sounded.

He pulled back, looking into her eyes. "Because you're mine."

"Oh, in that case . . ." She rolled her eyes.

Angelus laughed, "Even when you are trying to piss me off, you turn me on." She glared at him, but didn't answer. "And how did you find out about Dru?" He studied her face, the curve of her delicate cheek, the way her eyes sparkled in the moonlight. "The Watcher tell you about her?"

"No," She answered honestly. "I heard him talking with Buffy about you, when the soul and slayer started locking lips."

Angelus smiled, "I can't imagine the Watcher wanting me and his slayer in close contact."

Cordelia smiled, "He seemed quite distressed on the subject."

Angelus laughed. "He should have heard me banging at the cage doors."

She cringed, "I guess you weren't all that enthusiastic either."

"No, I was pissed." He admitted. "I can still remember the night at the Bronze that first time you saw me."

She blushed, "You remember?"

"Of course I do," He caressed his cheek. "There you were standing next to me looking delectable and so beautiful. I started rattling my cage yelling for the bastard to take and claim you as his." She flushed hotly. "The way you looked and how you smelled, even the way your voice drifted across the skin." He brushed her lips softly with a finger, "I wanted to do nothing better than kiss you."

"But you didn't." She reminded him.

"That is because the soul was in possession of the body." He defended himself. "If it had been me, I would have already claimed you in and out of my bed." Her heart thundered at the thought. "And I certainly wouldn't have allowed Harris near Ye." His voice slipped into a thick Irish drawl and it was easy to see where he came from.

Cordelia shrugged, "Apparently it wasn't nothing but groping and kissing." It hurt to talk about it, the pain still raw in her chest. "Xander backed out gracefully from whatever we were doing and went to console Buffy."

He growled at the pain he saw flash in her eyes. "Want me to kill him for Ye?"

She laughed, "You were going to anyway, remember?"

"Yeah, but instead of breaking his neck, I could torture the boy." He smiled wickedly at the thought of what he could do to the boy.

"No," She protested lightly.

Angelus sighed with disappointment, "So a quick death for him?" She laughed and he liked the sound. He endeavored to hear it fall from those lips often. "So it was Giles who disclosed how Dru came into existence?"

"No," She answered. "Although Giles gave a thorough lesson on you campaign in Europe, I could tell by the look on his face that he was omitting details and holding something important back."

"Maybe he didn't want to scare her." Angelus shrugged, not ashamed of the things he'd done.

"She's a Slayer," Cordelia reminded him. "Too late to be afraid of things that go bump in the night." He nodded in agreement. "I figured it's because Giles knew that no matter what he said, Buffy wasn't going to change her mind about you."

"She was pretty adamant about attaching herself to the soul," He shivered in remembrance, wishing at times he didn't have to recount the soul's deeds.

"Well the soul wasn't complaining," She pointed out. "Anyway, I was curious about you, so I sneaked into his office and stole the journals to read them for myself."

He arched an eyebrow, "Was it a good read?" He inquired.

"I wasn't surprised," She answered. "And you never answered my question either." She pointed out.

He shrugged, "I am a vampire and it is in my nature to do whatever is necessary to keep my things with me."

"I'm not a thing." She snapped. "And if that is the offer, than I decline. Maybe Buffy could be persuaded."

He growled and his flashed into his vampire form, grabbing her shoulders tightly and shaking her hard, "You don't have a choice." He told her. "I am going to have you whether you accept me of not."

Fear crept into Cordelia.

Minutes before she was so relaxed in his company that she almost forgot that he was a soulless creature who murdered and deflowered woman for fun. This was the demon inside the face of an angel and she saw it for the first time that evening. The softness and care he'd shown her had been the illusion and this creature . . . this evil thing was the reality. Angelus wanted not Cordelia, but the challenge that she represented. And once he'd finished his game, he would kill her. She knew that deep inside. He'd do whatever it took to get his way, including cause her pain and misery.

And the reality spread across her body, freezing her. Loneliness or death . . . she'd rather spend eternity alone.

She summoned all her anger and courage inside her body and used the one thing woman instinctively knew how to hurt a man: their manhood. She flexed her leg and lifted her knee hard, slamming it straight into his manhood. He groaned loudly, releasing her and dropping down to his knees, cupping himself. Cheerleader practice came with other rewards besides popularity, she admitted. Then she wasted no further time and dashed back into the safety of her house where he couldn't follow and slammed closed the balcony doors.

She leaned back against the door with a sigh, forcing her insides to stop trembling.

oooOooooOooooOooooOooo

Angelus flung himself over the balcony after he'd recovered from the injury and stalked angrily into the black night. He was furious, not at Cordelia, but himself. She wasn't afraid of him, not earlier that night and not at first on the balcony while they were talking. She'd been comfortable with him, asking questions and laughing at his answers. But he allowed his eagerness to have her overshadow his patience and he frightened her. He could scent her fear seconds before she slammed her knee into his manhood. And damn that cheerleader could kick.

When he finally recovered enough to stand to his feet, he glanced at the door and it took everything he possessed not to bang on them and demand she let him in. He wanted to force his claim on her until she had not other options but to accept it. But it was a catch-22, because he didn't want her to fear him either. Part of the reason he was so drawn to Cordelia was her challenging nature and her lack of fear around him. Even with a soul, Cordelia was herself without changing or acting differently. And he wanted her to come to him willingly knowing what and who he was and accepting it completely.

He'd been so damn close.

Talking about Dru with her, made him stop to think about the reasons he was so intrigued with Dru. She'd been a challenge, but a different one. It was her fear that spurned him on, making the allure that much more. Her innocence and purity were added bonuses to the fear and all three of them made her smell so much more divine. Driving her insane was a game that he took great pride in, but Dru never accepted who he was while she remained human. It was only after her own transformation into a vampire, that she accepted him.

He didn't want that with Cordelia. Maybe it was lingering remnants of the soul, but he wanted Cordelia to come to him in spite of the fact he was demon.

Buffy was willing to accept the pieces of the soul's existence, but only because he hid the demon inside from her. When the soul allowed Angelus out during a battle when his strength was needed, Buffy looked away with disgust. Buffy was a slayer and it wasn't in her nature to accept the demon. But the soul also knew that Buffy wouldn't accept the demon even if she hadn't been the slayer. Buffy wanted normalcy, something a vampire could never give her. Both soul and demon knew it, understood it, and were saddened by it.

That's why it had to be different with Cordelia.

He slammed into the warehouse and immediately stalked to the table and sank down in one of the chairs. His hands grabbed the bottle off the table and he drank deeply from it. Then he propped his feet up on the table, turning his thoughts to torturing the Slayer and her group of friends, especially Harris.

"Oy, the Slayer already causing you headaches," Spike teased, moving towards the table.

Angelus turned to him, growling, "No, she's going to die."

"Then what's eating at you?" He asked.

"Daddy's kitten used her claws," Dru whispered, moving to slide onto Spike's lap.

"I thought you wanted the Slayer dead," Spike frowned. "Are you trying to shag her?"

"Hell no!" He roared. "I wouldn't touch that her with your shaft."

"Oy! No need to throw around insults," Spike tossed back.

"Daddy's got a new kitten," Dru said softly. "A kitten that holds daddy's future."

"What are you talking about," Angelus demanded.

"Hush," She put a finger to her lips. "Miss Edith said it's a secret and I mustn't tell."

Spike turned her to face him, "What can you tell us about this new kitten, Love?"

She smiled and swayed, "She's going to be a part of our family, but we mustn't play rough with her. We have to treat her nice so she'll stay forever."

Spike rolled his eyes, "You mean I have to be nice to the Slayer." He grabbed the bottle from Angelus's hands. "I'm gonna need a lot more to drink."

"I done told ye it aien't the Slayer," He snapped. "The soul may have fallen for the lass, but I have better taste."

"Then who?" Spike asked.

"A kitten with dark hair," Dru sang.

Spike frowned, trying to remember who in that Slayer's group had dark hair. Then he saw her image flash before his eyes: Cordelia Chase. He'd hardly noticed her before, until the night he smelled that Slayer boy, Harris clinging to her clothes. Angelus picked wise this time. He smiled, "That cheerleader that has been shagging that snoopy boy, Harris."

Angelus growled, his face shifting and he grabbed Spike's shirt to drag him against him. "She aien't been shagging no one." He roared. "She belongs to me and I will have her." And he flung him back with a flick of his wrist.

"Oy!" Spike held up his hands, "At least it wasn't the Slayer." He dusted down his crumpled shirt. "And she's something to look at." His hands ran down the length of Dru's hair, "Not like my Dru, course."

Angelus nodded, turning back to Dru, "What else has Miss Edith been telling you?"

She swayed, "Lots of secrets." She sang. "Secrets about your future and the kitten's future." She leaned down to kiss Spike's lips. "Even about my Spike's future." Then she hissed and jumped away from him. "Naughty boy! You shall be punished harshly tonight."

Then she held out her hand and Spike took it, "Looks like one of us is getting lucky."

Angelus smiled. Then he started laughing. It was good to be with family again


	5. Chapter 5

5.

Cordelia glanced around the darkened cemetery, wondering why she'd agreed to play bait . . . _again_.

The night following Angelus's appearance, she entered the library hoping that things had somehow gone back to as before. Xander would make a few jokes and welcome her with a massive smile and a handful of musty books. Buffy would apologize for thinking that she's done something to make Angel's soul go bye-bye. And Willow would . . . well Willow would still be Willow and mope of Xander and their non-exist relationship.

So much for hoping.

They were less then receptive of her presence with open hostility coming in close second. Cordelia expected Buffy to jump up and shove the stake she was twirling around in her fingers straight into Cordelia's chest. Xander stared at Cordelia for all of three seconds, before reaching over to pat Buffy lightly on the leg with compassion and reassurance. And Willow glared at her with open resentment and anger, her fingers clutching into a fist. If not for the appearance of Giles and Miss. Calendar, she would have turn and walked back out the doors.

Giles insisted she was needed . . . she felt so needed picking up pieces of what was left of the Judge.

After that, she appeared to the meetings with determination in her back. Cordelia, the old one, would have happily gone back into her unknowing existence as head cheerleader and ditzy friends without a single care. But she had knowledge now of all those things that went bump in the night. And while getting hurt or used for bait was hardly how she wanted to help, it was her own contribution to helping the cries in the darkness.

Although the moods between the Scoobies and her had diminished to such a degree that she was ready to just give it all up.

Xander had barely looked at her or talked to her the last two days. If he'd truly cared about her, it wouldn't have mattered what Angelus had said about touching her. But he made it abundantly clear who and where his loyalty lied. Earlier that evening before going on patrol, she'd slipped on the floor and he let her fall to the floor in an unceremonious heap. If she hoped there had been more between Xander and her besides groping sessions in the closet, it was quickly dashed by that inconsiderate action.

Willow . . . she longed to just break out her report card and transcripts proving to the smug know it all that Cordelia knew just as much if not more. Willow insisted on treating her like she was a slow retard that need help even using the card catalog in the library. Last night, Willow offered to show her how to cross reference Latin to translate a book. Cordelia read and wrote Latin, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, and Egyptian.

And then there was Buffy. Buffy Summers, the almighty Slayer extraordinaire who acted as if everyone was put on this earth to serve her. Buffy expected Cordelia to be at her beck and call at every single second of the day. She carried the weapons bag on patrol. She fetched donuts, sodas, and pizza for the remaining research group. There were snappy comments aimed at Cordelia, who for the most part ignore them, unless it was in reference to her spreading her legs for the opposite sex. One more comment about how loose Cordelia was and . . . another slayer would be called.

After all that, she almost leapt at the opportunity to be alone and play bait. She knew the Slayer was back there somewhere . . . _okay, hope she was_ . . . just far enough away that she didn't have to hear her bothersome voice. But as she glanced around the cemetery again, a shiver went up her spine as she realized just how alone she was right now. She clutched her cross tightly in her hands and kept walking, hoping that if a vampire wanted a midnight snack, Buffy was close enough to pull him off before Cordelia became that snack.

Honestly, she thought it might be better for everyone around that she just distance herself completely from the Slayer and her groupies. Yes she was doing work to help others, but it was degrading to think that they didn't respect her enough to get to know the real Cordelia. Xander couldn't even tell what her favorite color was or what she liked to do when she wasn't playing head cheerleader for her friends or bait for the Scoobies. She'd been coming to the research meetings for close to three months and they hadn't learned a thing about her.

Suddenly she stopped!

Pushing all other thoughts aside, she knew there was something standing in the darkness watching her. She definitely didn't get a slayer vibe or hearing anything, but she just knew there was something there. Her skin whispered eerie to her and she felt a shiver move down the length of her back. She gripped the cross in front of her chest, her hands digging deeper into the emblem that wouldn't offer her much protection from vampires or demons or whatever was out there stalking her. She strained to listen to the Scooby voices, hoping they were closer then a small yell. She had a feeling that her role as "bait" was about to pay off that evening.

Suddenly she felt a soft wind against her cheeks and then strong arms enveloped her against a rock hard chest. Cold breathe moved over her skin by her ear and she heard, "Hello My Vixen." Then Angelus kissed her neck softly. "Miss me?"

She fought every instinct inside of her that wanted to relax against his chest and stiffened slightly. "Pfft! Like I miss having a root canal."

He laughed deep and soft, his breath hitting her neck and enticing tiny shivers along her frame. "You smell divine."

"Ew! Cause I always wanted a vampire to tell me I smell good." She quipped.

He laughed again, his hand moving to grip her wrist and tightening enough that she cried out and dropped the cross she was holding. He kicked it away from them, his hands lingering on her wrist and trailing up her arm. She shivered at his touch and then she felt his kiss against the pulse point on her neck.

"It isn't nice to wave that around when I come courting," Angelus tsked.

She rolled her eyes, "Courting? We are standing in a graveyard surrounded by dead corpses and you call this courting." She scoffed. "You need to get out more."

His finger rolled softly over her pulse point and he licked it, sending shivers coursing down her spine. "Right there is where I'm going to mark you." Cordelia's mind went white hot with desire as she imagined all the ways he could mark her.

"I'm sorry but I don't have anything that would match two vampire holes in my neck."

"I'll buy you something that will," He countered easily. Then he allowed his fingers to flutter seductively against the flatness of her stomach, heat scorching her through the thin silk shirt she wore. "Did I tell you how sexy you look tonight?" He whispered.

Cordelia tried remembering what she'd worn that evening, but it was hard to concentrate with his hands and mouth touching and caressing her everywhere. She vaguely recalled slipping on a black skirt that dropped down to her mid-thigh, revealing her long tanned legs. She matched the skirt with a blue silk blouse that had a plunging neck line, dropping down to reveal the valley of her pert breasts. She paired the outfit with a pair of stylish black pumps and a leather short-waist jacket. Her hair was captured in a clip at the base of her neck and she wore minimal make-up and jewelry.

"Just something I slipped into," She pushed further away from his touch.

He tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her snugly back against him again. "But black leather looks damn good on you." He fingered her throat. "Imagine a black leather collar and nothing else . . . well me draped against you."

"Sounds like a fantasy that isn't coming true," She snorted hotly.

He kissed her cheek, whispering, "I can smell you're arousal."

She closed her eyes, wondering if he could really be that perceptive. The feelings . . . the white hot desire that welled up within her when he was near, frightened her. She'd never experienced these sensations holed up in the closet with Xander. "I d – d – don't know what you mean." She denied hotly.

He tightened his hold, "Liar."

"Maybe I was thinking about Xander."

He laughed at that announcement, "I know he wasn't touched you." His nose moved back and forth against her cheek. "I can't smell him on you."

"Maybe he's just been selective on where he touches me." She informed him, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of not having anyone touch her.

"Um, I wonder how selective he'd be if you were Buffy?" Cordelia didn't want to think about that, the humiliation of Xander letting her fall was too raw in her mind right now. "I mean he did volunteer you as Bait."

"I like helping." She informed him angrily.

"Helping?" He pondered briefly. "How? I mean if the point is to draw out the creatures of the night to a helpless victim, then why did the Slayer and her friends stop back there to have a picnic without you," Angelus inquired.

Her heart clenched.

He had to be lying. There was no way, not even if they hated her that would have stopped back there without telling her. _Right_? But somehow she knew that Angelus wasn't lying. He may be a sadistic killer, but he was brutally honest. Not to mention, it had been several minutes in his arms, and the Scooby gang hadn't even come to investigate her. For all they knew, she could be fending off various other vampires instead of just this one.

"If you were my girl. . ."

"But I'm not," Cordelia snapped, fueling the pain with anger. "And I never will be."

"Already are," He corrected. "Half the town knows who you belong to, which is the only reason you walked unscathed through this cemetery without getting attacked." He inhaled her scent again. "And as soon as I finish claiming you, there isn't a demon or vampire in the entire world that would dare touch something that belongs to me."

She didn't know whether to feel safe or crept out.

Before she could say anything further, they both heard a noise behind them and then like lighting he turned them around to face the Slayer and her gang. His hand moved to her throat, dropping her head back against his chest and his other hand encircled her waist roughly. She wanted to cry out in pain at his rough treatment, but he wasn't hurting her. His actions may speak hostility, but he might as well have been cradling a baby in his arms for his gentleness for her.

"Hello Dead Fuck," He greeted the Slayer. "Slacking on the job, I see." He kissed the side of Cordelia's cheek affectionately. "I captured the bait."

"That's why we're here," Xander defended his friends. "To ensue the bait . . . I mean, Cordy is safe."

"Pfft!" Cordelia scoffed angrily. "And stopping off to have a picnic was training exercises."

Xander paled. Willow guiltily lowered her gaze. And Buffy merely shrugged.

Angelus laughed, "It's why I came, had to make sure My Vixen stayed safe."

"Until you kill her," Xander shouted angrily.

"Do shut the hell up," Cordelia snapped. "What are you going to do?"

"Uh no, trouble in paradise." Angelus teased. "You don't have the balls to take on me."

"Says the vampire standing behind the girl's skirts," Xander tossed back smoothly.

"I don't even know why you are hiding behind her." Buffy shrugged, holding her stake tightly, "Kill her, it isn't like I would care."

Cordelia stiffened at the words coldly tossed out by the Slayer and knew she wasn't lying. None of them cared about her. If it was Willow or Xander or even Buffy he was holding, they would be genuinely frightened for their life. But Cordelia was just another innocent that didn't mesh into the Slayer's inner circle and therefore considered cannon fodder. And she thought her parents hated her.

Angelus knew those words hurt his Vixen and he wanted to break the Slayer's neck. "Wow and you're the 'Chosen One'." He chastised. "I guess they really screwed up that calling when they picked you."

Buffy glared at him, "Only thing I care about is getting back Angel. Kill her and we can figure out what she did."

And that pissed him off. The demon inside of him raged deep and he changed into game face, growling angrily at the Slayer. Buffy took several steps back, unsure how to approach this demon without hurting her Angel. Angelus was ready to leap across the expanse separating them and rip the Slayer's head off. He pushed Cordelia behind him, satisfaction calming him down when she latched onto his jacket and peered at the Scoobies over his shoulder. He would kill anyone who tried hurting his Vixen, but he'd eviscerate anyone who attempted returning the pussy soul Slayer boy back into his body. He'd stake himself first before getting that trapped again.

"The soul isn't coming back." He snapped harshly. "And if you hurt a hair on My Vixen's head, Hell will look like Disneyland compared to what I will do to you."

Cordelia watched a slight shiver move down Buffy's spine, a clear indication that she was not unaffected by his threat.

Cordelia didn't know why she was still holding onto Angelus when all she had to do was turn and run into the darkness. She wasn't far from her home . . . but glancing around into the darkness she noticed that Angelus hadn't arrived to this party empty handed. There were at least gold eyes showing of five minions. She'd rather stick with the evil she sort of knew than deal with the evil in the darkness.

Refusing to show her fear, Buffy stood up taller and glanced around, "What's to stop me from staking you right now?"

"Ahem," Another male voice interrupted, "That would be me." The Scooby group turned to watch as Spike, who was no longer attached to his wheelchair, leaned against a crypt. He lit up a cigarette and played with his lighter nonchalantly, dragging hard on the smoke dangling from his mouth. "'Ello Slayer, fancy a fight."

Buffy glared at Spike and then back to Angelus, unsure what she wanted to do.

"I thought you were in a wheelchair," Xander pointed out Spike's use of legs.

Spike's eyes flashed and he growled, "Angelus took care of that."

Xander nodded numbly and moved instinctively closer to Willow and Buffy. Willow was hanging on tightly to Xander's arm, glancing back and forth between the two vampires with fear. And Buffy was judging on what her chances were of staking Spike and damaging Angelus enough that they could chain him up and try to fix him. She wasn't going to lose her Angel, not behind the actions of Cordelia spreading her legs.

"We can fix this," Buffy assured Angelus. "Just let us chain . . ."

Both Spike and Angelus started laughing at her words.

"The bint wants to fix you," Spike shrugged and tossed away his smoke. "I didn't know you were broke."

"I feel perfectly fine," Angelus agreed. "And I like chains, but only if I'm the one using them."

Cordelia shivered at that mental image that suddenly sprang up from those words. She imagined herself lying naked across his massive bed surrounded by black silk sheets and mantles holding her against the massive headboard. All the things he could do to her, with her, on her . . . she shivered and her knees shook, threatening to drop out from under her. She clutched his coat tighter to prevent from falling, and buried her face against the cool leather of his duster.

_Calm down, Cordelia._

Spike and Angelus could smell the arousal pouring off Cordelia and they smiled in awareness.

Buffy attempted to move closer, "Angel, you don't . . ."

Cordelia had enough; she stepped around the firm body of Angelus and placed her hands on her hips. "Jesus Christ are you stupid, Buffy. Angel no longer operates in that body." She rolled her eyes. "Wrong number. Been disconnected. No service." She waved her hand around. "What's it going to take for you to get the picture, someone to die?"

"I vote for the Whelp," Spike piped in.

Xander paled and huddled closer to Willow.

"I know my Angel is still in there trying to fight his way back to me," Buffy snapped. "You are clouding his judgment."

Cordelia had enough of stupid Slayers and worthless sidekicks. "He stalked me in the graveyard tonight, not the other way around." Cordelia tore into the Slayer, as Angelus and Spike watched with amusement. "Angelus picked me, not you. I had nothing to do with his sudden urge to claim me; you did that when you slept with Angel." Buffy paled. "Deal with the consequences of your actions, but leave me the hell out of it."

"Angel is still in there," She was grasping at straws.

"Cling to the fantasy." Cordelia snorted. "As for me, I am removing myself from this situation, from this club, and from playing bait." Then she turned and smacked Angelus's cheek. "That is for causing me all this mess."

And then she raised her chin and stalked firmly into the darkness, not even bothered by the minions who'd given her a wide berth.

"No wonder Angelus wants Princess over you," Spike twisted the knife deep into Buffy's heart. "She's spirited when riled."

Angelus nodded in agreement. Then his eyes narrowed on Buffy, "Do not do anything to harm my Vixen." He growled at her. "The soul is gone and so is the vampire you thought you knew. I am not some sweet teenager boy. If you fuck with what I consider mine, I will kill you and anything else in your life you care about." Then he stepped back. "Ask the Watcher just how possessive the Scourge of Europe was when they bloodied their way across it a hundred years ago."

Then with a nod to Spike, the vampires disappeared into the darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Monday dawned a new day for Cordelia, especially after spending the weekend trapped in her home. She ignored the phone, told Rosalie not to come in, and vegged out in her bed reading books all weekend. If she got hungry, she heated up leftovers from the fridge. She was sure there were a hundred phone calls from her friends, texts from them as well. But that weekend wasn't about having a life or parties to go to. No it was about coping with the very real knowledge that Angelus wanted her and he wasn't the sort of man who'd accepted no. She wasn't foolish enough to think she'd been immune to his advances, her skin did still tingle in places where Angelus had touched her that not even showering could wash away. But at the end of the day, he was a vampire and it scared her.

After a long weekend, Monday loomed before her like a ray of sunshine. Cordelia was through hiding. She had a life . . . well a life that didn't include going anyplace after dark until the slayer got her head out of her ass and staked the crazy bastard. Just because she wanted to resume some normalcy, didn't mean she'd lost all reason. Angelus would see her again, she was sure of that, whether she hid in her house or faced reality.

So she dressed that morning in typical Cordelia fashion, grabbed a cappuccino at her favorite coffee shop and jet into school as if she hadn't spent the weekend alone. She captured the looks the Scooby gang tossed her way, but she ignored them and pushed her head higher. By the time she reached her locker, she was surrounded by her usual crowd and the weirdness of the Scooby gang faded into the background. Cordelia was in her territory and she dared Angelus to try something here.

"Where were you this weekend?" Harmony asked.

And the day started with lies. "My parents surprised me with a trip to Cancun." She answered, tossing back her hair.

"Wow," Aura whispered in awe. "I wish my parents were that awesome."

_If only she knew_, Cordelia thought. After exchanging her things for her first period books, she closed the door and hugged them tightly to her chest. "It was so beautiful there and my dad said that maybe I could spend the entire summer there at the beach house." It was no wonder she wanted to be an actress, she had a lifetime of lying to her friends to draw from. She closed her locker and hugged her books tightly against her chest.

Harmony and Aura sighed with jealousy.

"But you're back," Harmony pushed on with enthusiasm. "So it's the Bronze tonight, right?"

And the lies keep coming. She tightened her grip on her books, concentrating on the pain in her hands and not the overwhelming urge to vomit. "No can do," She answered with a sigh. "During the weekend, my parents found out about my "D" in science and got a little muffed."

"You got a "D"?" Aura asked. "I got an "F" and my parents wanted to sue the school for failure to actualize my potential."

Cordelia studied her friend and wondered if she was serious. Judging by the look on her face, she figured that Aura couldn't begin to make up something like that. She'd say idiot, but the "F" already implied it. Shaking her head, she continued, "Yeah, well my parents say it's because I'm not applying myself." She rolled her eyes and here comes the ditzy statement. "Like when am I ever going to need science in the future?"

"I got an "I"," Harmony shared with a frown. "I didn't even know "I" was a letter you could get for a school grade."

"I think the "I" stands for incomplete," Cordelia informed her. Her friends really were idiots. They would probably laugh if they saw Cordelia's actual report card with all A's on it.

"Oh," Harmony nodded with understanding, "Maybe that's because I never went to class."

"Probably," Cordelia agreed dryly. "Anyway the parents are playing the parental card and so outside cheerleading, I have to go straight home and study."

"Wow that's harsh," Aura jumped in.

"I guess science means no life," She sighed. "But maybe I can talk them into lifting the restriction for Saturday night." She perked them up. "I hear The Dingo's are supposed to be playing."

"Yeah that leader is hot," Aura nodded dreamily.

"Of course, he only has eyes for you, Cordy." Harmony bumped her.

"Salty goodness," Cordelia agreed.

The three of them turned and started heading down the hallway towards class. First period was history, and Cordelia had a feeling that history was going to be spent thinking about a yummy vampire.

**oooOoooOooo**

The rest of the week passed in similar fashion as she fell into familiar patterns with lies about her parents, her grades, her life, and who she really was. Tired of hiding who she truly was, she wondered briefly what would happen if she showed up in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and dropped the dumb act. It might feel nice to actually be who she was and stop with all the pretending. But unfortunately she would never know if they could accept the real her, because she submitted to peer pressure and kept up her ditzy cheerleader act.

Lucky for Cordelia she had an excellent memory, which came in handy during those lectures she pretended not to listen too. Most of her teachers knew she was one of their most intelligent students in the class. But they accepted her need to not advertise her grades and allowed the occasional behavior outbursts in class. All that mattered to them was that she handed in complete comprehensive homework, knew the subject material, and had near perfect test scores. Another reason Cordelia was good at blending in.

Her social crowd, the Cordettes, followed her around as if she were the prophesied messiah. They hung on everything she talked about no matter what the subject. If she mentioned that college boys were better suited for their dating stature, Harmony and Aura went out on a date with one. If she commented on the latest fashion trend, they would rush out and buy it. If she wore a specific type of lipstick, the following day the same shade appeared on their lips. It was like have mini-Cordelia's trailing around her.

Cheerleading was the bright spot in her week. Everyone assumed that she joined cheerleading because it was a guarantee to popularity. But that wasn't her reason. It wasn't even the fact that she got to show her school spirit or have all the attention on her. No she loved being a cheerleader because the workouts made her exhilarated. Frustration lived deep in her world and the workouts gave her something to channel it. She was not a Vampire Slayer, but she had moves that she doubted even the Slayer could duplicate. It was the one area of her life she publicly controlled.

Friday finally arrived and there was a game that evening and she was more then eager to start her weekend. The only thing that had her worried was she hadn't seen Angelus all week. Not that she wanted to be stalked by a deranged vampire like Angelus, but there was a part of her that ached with his absence. He claimed her and then he disappears. _Like everyone else_ . . . her heart whispered. Maybe that was the problem, everyone in her life left her and she thought for once she'd found someone who'd be with her until she died. Turns out that not even vampire claims were all that reliable these days.

She was Cordelia Chase and vampire or not, she put on her best cheerleader smile and pretended everything was right in her world.

"So after the game," Harmony leaned against the wall chatting with Cordelia. "Are we going to Mike's party?"

"Can't," Cordelia informed her. "Besides, last time I went to one of his parties, I had someone barf on my new Jimmy Choo and then spill beer down on my Vera Wang outfit."

Harmony nodded, "I remember." She shuddered. "That outfit was so cute too."

"It was better after I donated to charity."

"You didn't keep it?" Harmony frowned.

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "As if I was going to keep that outfit after someone vomited on it. I am Cordelia Chase and I do not repeat."

"Are we still on for the Bronze tomorrow?"

She sighed, dragging her gym bag over her shoulder and brushing back her hair. "Parents already gave me permission, so long as I don't break the rules between now and then."

"Cool, because . . ."

"Miss Chase," Giles authoritative cut in between the two of them, "May I see you in the library a moment?"

Cordelia felt her stomach drop and she gripped her books to prevent her hands from shaking, "Of course." She turned towards Harmony. "I'll see what this is about and I'll meet you on the field."

Harmony glanced at Giles with curiosity and then nodded, turning to head towards the locker room. Cordelia took a small step towards Giles, who simply turned and led the way down towards the library. Cordelia knew this was an interrogation that she'd been expecting all week. After Xander's careless remarks last Friday, she thought it best not to involve herself in the research activities into the demon world. Her nightmares were bad enough without adding further horrors to them. Cordelia was surprised it had taken them this long to approach her.

She entered the library and moved towards the table. She glanced around and spotted Jenny Calendar standing by the desk with Giles. Seated at the usual table was Buffy, who was toying with a stake, Xander, who was chewing on a Twinkie, and Willow, who was toying nervously with a pencil. Yep, this definitely wasn't a social call. Further confirmed when the three of them studied her, trying to see if there was evidence of a vampire bite.

It pissed her off, so she pulled her shirt down angrily and tilted her neck so they could see it was bit free. Then she glared at them and snapped, "Oh for Christ sakes, I'm not vampire chow yet."

Giles removed his glasses with a sigh, "It's just we were concerned as you haven't been appearing to research nights."

She shrugged, "I'd rather not come to meetings where I am I not wanted."

"I'm sorry, but what made you think you wouldn't be received?" Giles inquired.

"How about Xander's sudden declaration that whatever we were doing in the janitor closet meant absolutely nothing to him. Of course, this revelation was only brought on by the appearance of Angelus." Cordelia said.

"Oh dear," Giles whispered softly, rubbing his eyes.

"You and Cordelia," Buffy exclaimed, looking towards Xander. "Tell me she's joking."

He just shrugged and stuffed his face with another Twinkie.

"Or maybe I thought it would be uncomfortable because Willow, who has wanted Xander forever, discovered he didn't pick her." Cordelia continued.

"I think I might need a drink," Giles announced.

"Oh Willow," Buffy patted her hand lightly.

Cordelia just sighed. Willow was the poor one, but Cordelia was the one who got dumped. "And then lastly there is the Slayer, who thinks I did something deceitful to her boyfriend and turned him against her."

"Angel wouldn't touch you," Buffy spat out again.

"Didn't we just do this in the graveyard last weekend," Cordelia sighed.

"I don't know what you did . . ."

"Do you ever get tired of talking?" She snapped. "I know Angel loves you, Buffy." Cordelia rolled her eyes. "But if Angel is still somewhere deep inside of Angelus, then why are you all worried I turned into a vampire kabob?"

No one had an answer.

"Anyway," Buffy stood up, "If Angel is now Angelus everyone knows I'm his type. Darla was blonde . . . I'm a blonde."

"She's got a point, Cordy." Xander defended Buffy.

Ever the Buffy defender, Cordelia glared at Xander and it was too much; school, lying to her friends, her parent's absence, and now the Scoobies scrutiny. She snapped, "Well how the hell do you explain his obsession with Drusilla then?"

Buffy gasped like a fish out of water. Xander was confused. And Willow's eyes grew wide.

"You did know that Dru was his first childe, didn't you?" Cordelia shrugged. "Or that he stalked her relentlessly until he drove her insane and turned her?"

"You're a damn liar." Buffy shouted.

"Just ask Giles," Cordelia gestured to the man who'd gone pale. "I'm sure he'd love to tell you just how obsessed he was with Dru."

"Giles?" Buffy asked hesitantly.

He rubbed his eyes and then turned to Buffy, "I was hoping to spare you the details of certain parts of his life."

"But you told her," Buffy shouted, pissed that Giles didn't trust her.

"I most certainly did not," Giles defended the accusation. "So I am most curious how you learned?" He directed the question at Cordelia.

She shrugged, "I stole the Watcher journals and read them."

Giles groaned and then he frowned, "And you understood them?"

"Latin isn't a dead language," She waved her hand around. "It was easy after I cross referenced certain phases for clarification." And then she caught the looks of the people standing in the room. She'd just blown the ditzy cheerleader routine.

"Anyone can check out a Latin book," Buffy accused.

"Actually I went online and had it translated at this website." Cordelia quickly covered herself.

Giles looked closely at the cheerleader and sensed there was more under the eye. He realized that he may, they all may have, underestimated this young woman. The ditzy act was just that and act, and under that act was a bright intelligent woman who could have proved useful if they had known sooner. Regardless of that, however, the fact remained that she read confidential Watcher files without permission.

"You had no right," He informed her.

"Pfft!" She scoffed. "And you have no right keeping the Slayer in the dark about her undead boyfriend."

He nodded in agreement, "You are correct in that, but that doesn't excuse you reading those journals." He chastised her.

"Someone had to find out who and what the Slayer was snuggling up with." Cordelia defended her actions. "I am not the Slayer, but we all," She gestured to everyone in the room, "Have a stake in this."

"Yet you choose not to attend research meetings," Xander was quick to point out.

"Excuse me," She snapped at him, "I thought my time would be better suited someplace else so you can be free to research without the aggravation, resentment, or jealousy." She studied each of the Scoobies as she said it. "Not to mention, last time I was helping, I almost got my throat ripped out because you all were have a picnic."

Giles glared angrily at his charges and Jenny paled.

"Buffy," Giles demanded of his Slayer. "Did you just leave her alone to have a picnic?"

Buffy lowered her gaze, "We thought she would . . ."

"What?" Cordelia demanded. "Be able to defend myself against whatever might jump out and attack me." She narrowed her eyes. "If it wasn't for Angelus and his protection, I might have been killed."

"What do you mean?" Xander inquired, clenching his fists.

Cordelia shrugged, "He put the word out around town that he was back and that I belonged to him. If anyone was to touch, harm, or bother me in any way, he would kill them." Then she narrowed her eyes at Buffy, Willow, and Xander. "It was the only reason I managed to wander around the cemetery while you were picnicking without getting killed."

Giles took off his glasses to rub his eyes, "So Angelus is protecting you?"

"Appears so," Cordelia answered.

"He's a soulless demon who killed, raped, and tortured his way across Europe." Giles informed her heatedly. "If you read the journals, you know what he is capable of."

"Yes, I do." Cordelia admitted. "I know his dangerous and a murderer, but at least he is trying to protect me, which is more than I can say for the Slayer and her little Scooby team."

Jenny moved closer to her, "We are just concerned about your welfare."

Cordelia nodded, "And as I've said before, I am not stupid." She glanced at them. "I know what Angelus is capable of, which is why the Slayer needs to wake up and realize the Angel she knew is gone." Giles leaned heavily against the desk, as he knew what was about to be said and he agreed with the cheerleader. "Because I can carry all the crosses and stakes I want, stay in after it goes dark and even watch who I welcome into my home. But it is ultimately the Slayer that solves this dilemma."

"I didn't even know you could spell it," Willow cut in, defending her friend.

Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Willow, "You don't know a damn thing about me, let alone what I can spell." Willow paled and remained quiet. Then she allowed her hazel eyes to wonder over to nail down Buffy. "The Slayer needs to pull her head out of the clouds and do what is needed or none of us are safe."

Giles signed, because Cordelia was right. But judging by Buffy's expression, the Slayer wasn't ready to rid her life of the said vampire. "Just take precautions." He ordered softly. "Don't underestimate Angelus."

"Angel," Buffy corrected.

"And that says everything," Cordelia turned and vacated the library.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

"Are you sure you can't come to the after party," Aura asked again.

It was on the tip of her tongue to say yes, but she forced it aside. While the game had ended in an overwhelming victory, it had gone well past dark and she could feel the darkness surrounded her with shivers of apprehension. Not to mention it was Friday which meant that if she was captured by Angelus, he'd have a full weekend to torture her before anyone knew she was missing. It was best to head straight to the house and regroup before strategizing ways to out think the vampire. Tomorrow night she would be at the Bronze with her friends, and there wasn't a damn thing the Slayer or her admirer would do to stop her.

"My parents were firm," Cordelia lied again. "If I want to go tomorrow, it's straight home tonight."

"Okay, then I'll see you tomorrow at seven," Harmony confirmed.

Cordelia nodded and left the locker room. She hefted her bag up onto her shoulder and walked swiftly out into the parking lot. Sometimes she was grateful for the popularity perk, because it always guaranteed a spot by the building. She unlocked the door and slide into the interior, dropping her bag onto the seat next to her. She would have liked nothing better than to sink down into the seat and take a minute to gather her thoughts, but it was dark and she had a dangerous stalker. So she started the car and sped quickly out of the lot.

Two miles from home her car died.

She banged the steering wheel and cursed loudly. The engine light had been coming on all week, and she'd scheduled an appointment for it tomorrow. Apparently, however, the car decided that tomorrow was just too far away. Steam was bellowing from the hood and there were so many warning lights on the dash, it looked like she'd need several mechanics to fix them all. _Damn it. _She reached for her cell phone, cursing again when she realized that she left it in her gym locker.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," She cursed.

Out of options, she glanced around at the area and realized she was closer to home then she'd first thought. A quick—and hopefully—shortcut through the creepy cemetery and she'd been home within ten minutes. That was of course if she was lucky enough not to run into the exclusive club members that used the graveyard as their dining establishment.

_Cordelia, you are crazy_, she thought with a shiver.

However the prospect of sitting in the car the remainder didn't appeal to her either. Most of the young social crowd would be at the after game parties and the older people would be securely inside their locked homes that you'd need a daylight invite to enter into. So she squared her shoulder, removed her keys from the ignition, snatched up her purse and slipped out of the car. She was about to drop her keys into her purse, but thought it was better to keep them handy incase of trouble. After securing the locks, she turned to start the walk thru the graveyard.

It was the time to panic, so she imagined this was just a normal town without the all you can eat human buffet clientele. All she had to do was keep her eyes open and keep moving no matter what happened. And if something happened to pop up out of the ground prematurely, she'd scream and run like hell itself was on her heels.

There was some semblance of protection with Angelus's creed that she belonged to him. And while she didn't relish the idea of belonging to the psycho vampire, it was better then becoming a midnight snack. Then again, just because he ordered her unarmed didn't necessarily guarantee she could walk around in the dark graveyard unharmed.

Toeing one foot in front of the other, she moved past a crypt and felt a shudder move up her back. Some would say that only a Slayer would get vibes of evil nearby, but Cordelia could hardly argue with her own feelings. It was the same feelings she used to get when she played bait and wound up almost vampire chow. Only difference was this time she didn't have supernatural backup or even a stake. This time she was armed with a set of keys, some mace, and her honed cheerleading skills.

"If I die," She quipped softly, "That could be something they put on my tombstone. _Cordelia Chase . . . one hell of a cheerleader_."

_Do not panic_, she ordered.

_Stay calm._

_To hell with calm_ . . . she tightened her hold on her keys and started power walking her way towards the nearest exit. If surviving tonight meant having to go a few miles out of the way, she would take the walk.

Rounding another crypt, she came to a dead . . . bad choice of words . . . stop. Karma was determined to make her pay for all the times she played snobbish bitch to someone at school. Standing not ten feet in front of her was five fairly new vampires who were hungry and Cordelia had just offered herself as the midnight snack.

"Lookie, take out." One said, licking his lips. "And she looks tasty."

"But who gets her," Another asked. "She's too small to feed us all."

"Will flip for it," A third one assured his buddies.

Keeping an eye on her would be attackers, she looked behind her quickly. She wondered if she would have time to run and then wondered where she was going to run too. Her car was broke down and un-drivable. Nobody would open their doors in Sunnydale at this time of night, not even to a small scrap of a girl about to get murdered and gulped down like a 7-Eleven slurpee.

Not a pretty image which left one choice. She tilted her chin up, summoned a scrap of courage from somewhere, and informed them, "I belong to Angelus, one fourth of the Scourge of Europe."

"Who the hell is Angelus?" One asked.

Cordelia's heart sank. Not only were they newly turned vampires, but stupid ones too. Either that or the soul version of Angelus hadn't made much of an impression on the younger vampire generation. He only consolation was that after she died, Angelus would only be too happy to teach these five who the vampire truly was and what he'd done. She'd like to say they would learn their lesson, but they'd be too dead to test the theory.

"He's a master vampire who hates when people touch what belongs to him." Cordelia answered.

One tilted his head and gazed Cordelia. "I don't see any bite marks."

"He marked me someplace private," She corrected.

_Let's hope they wouldn't want to study every inch of her body before they were satisfied._ She glanced around in the darkness and cursed. The damned vampire claims she belongs to him, driving her insane with his insistence. But where the hell was the crazy bastard when she actually could use that claim? Now would be the time for him to pop out of the darkness, dispense with the vampires threatening to drain her, and then . . . crawl back into the darkness. Yeah, she liked that scenario.

Where are you Angelus?

"Show me this mark," One demanded.

She shook her head and started moving backwards, "If you touch me, he'll kill you."

"I'm willing to risk it," One side close to her ear.

She cursed as she realized they had unknowingly boxed her in, surrounding her. Realizing all that was left was the fight before they drained her dry, praying it was a swift killing. She didn't relish the idea of bleeding slowly out of some wound while they toyed with her insides. And then she prayed they turned her into a vampire, so she could kick Xander and Willow's ass.

Instinct to survive made her clenched her keys tighter, vowing to inflect damage on the first vampire that touches her. She felt a hand on her arm and she twisted and pushed her keys deep into his eye, trying to hold onto the contents of her stomach as slimy blood pooled out over her hand. She pulled back her keys and stepped away as he howled loudly and eerily into the quiet night. She wiped the blood over onto her pants and glanced around her for the next attack.

This time they attacked her in twos, one moving in front of her and one behind. She was ready to plunge the key into another eye, when she felt a hand gripping her wrist tightly. She felt it twisted hard and a loud unnatural pop assaulted her ears. Tears sting her eyes as she cried out in pain and dropped the keys onto the ground. She glanced down and noticed her wrist was protruding at an odd angle, a clear signal it was broke.

"We just want to play," The vampire holding her assured her. Then he used his tongue to lick her neck.

"Gross!" She shivered with repulsion. "What is it with vampires licking us like dogs?"

He growled and shoved her away.

Using a cheerleader roll, she managed to regain her balance a few feet away, cradling her wrist against her side. The vampire who'd lost his eyes was glaring at her furiously, blood still flowing down his face. Two other vampires circled her like prey, licking their lips in anticipation of the taste of her blood.

_Going to have to work for it_, she glared angrily.

Balancing herself on the balls of her feet, she prepared herself for a kick that rivaled all the other cheerleaders at school. As if on cue, one grabbed her arm and she reacted, swinging her leg up to kick his forehead, sending him spiraling back and hitting the side of a headstone. He was momentarily stunned, shaking his head and surging to his feet in full game face.

She'd seen hundreds of vampires, she wasn't about to lose the advantage now because she was supposed to be scared. She was, but not enough to scream and just let them take her. Readying her kick again, she felt another arm on her, so she twisted back with her leg and felt her leg pile into a pair of vulnerable balls. He released her immediately and she twisted around using the full force of her kick to hit him square in his manhood. He paled, sank down to his knees, clenching his parts with a groan.

Vampires: One. Cordelia: Three.

She waited for another attack, and this time was rewarded as all four of them moved towards her. She braced her and started kicking and punching with all her might, if she was going to die, she was going to die fighting. One of her favorite poets, Dillon, said "_Don't go quickly into the night, rage against the dying light_". Rage away Cordelia and kick as much vampire ass as you can.

She felt her blows land, but there were feeble attempts to an already decided situation. Eventually one of them would get a good shot in, she'd drop down and they'd sink fangs in her neck. She turned her head and felt a smack across her cheek, stars dancing before her eyes. Then there was another punch and her feet were lifted off the ground as she flew a few feet away and hit the side of a headstone. Pain shattered throughout her body as she slumped tiredly down to the ground. She guessed that vampires didn't care if the meal was bruised; it was like tenderizing a rare steak.

She managed to bring herself to a sitting position, cradling her broken wrist against her side. Everything hurt and she didn't think she could stand, let alone run very far. All she wanted to do was sink into the ground and close her eyes, giving up the pretense of actually winning this fight. She wasn't a vampire, she wasn't a Slayer, and she wasn't anything more than another convenient meal. She felt the steady steam of blood dripping down the side of her face, reaching up a shaky hand to wipe some of it away. Too late, the smell of the blood caused a feeding frenzy among the group, and they turned on each other to see who would get the surprise.

This was her chance, while they were occupied, to escape. She had to try. She pushed against the ground and tried pushing herself up onto her feet, discovering her leg wasn't going to support her weight. She didn't know if it was broken or just badly bruised, but there was no way she was going to be able to stand on it, let alone run. She felt a sharp pain in her side and gasped as it felt like needles were stabbing her side. Suddenly breathing became a struggle and after reading health books and taking biology, she knew she'd broken a rib that may or may not have just punctured her lung.

She was in serious trouble.

Even if by some miracle she managed to stand, the rib would probably kill her before she took more than a few steps. She sank back against the headstone and knew she was about to die. And it pissed her off because she never got to be anything more than a self-proclaimed bitch lead cheerleader. She wanted to attend college. She wanted to see the world and not just hear about how amazing it was from her jet setting parents. She definitely didn't want to die in a cemetery by vampires.

She wasn't going to cry. Her last minutes were not going to be spent sobbing like a child. She was Cordelia Chase and not a crybaby. She heard the vampires stop arguing and she figured they had probably already decided who got to drain her.

One with black hair and pasty skin moved closer to her. He was wearing sagging jeans with torn holes in them and a stained shirt with various different colors marring the fabric. She shuddered to think what those would be and figured this was probably her killer. _Lucky her!_

"I'll try to make it hurt . . . well it will hurt no matter what." He laughed.

"Bastard," She hissed.

He sank down onto his knees and he gripped her hair tightly, shoving her head to one side to expose her skin. She heard him inhale, but she closed her eyes, not wanting to see anything more. She wanted to wake up encase in white warmth and her grandmother calling her name. He leaned in closer and she was assailed by the scent of body odor and rotten teeth. Figures she couldn't get killed by a better class of vampires. She'd have preferred Angelus, at least he smelled decent.

She felt cold breath on her neck, fought the urge to roll her eyes at a breathing vampire, and waited for the prick of his fangs. There was another lick across her neck and she shuddered, pressing herself further against the headstone. His arms held her close and then . . .

He was gone.

He eyes popped open and she captured the sight of a familiar bleached blonde vampire. _Spike_. He was holding the vampire about to bite her by his neck, and although it was squirming against Spike, Spike was a Master Vampire and no match for the bug in his arms. Spike captured her eyes and then he moved those blues eyes down the length of her frame. She sank back against the headstone with a tired slump, no longer worried she'd lose her life to want-to-be vampires. Angelus was surely close by.

"Which one of you dared to touch the property of Angelus?" Spike demanded, still holding onto the vampire in his arms.

"Whose business is it of yours?" One asked.

Spike growled at him, "It is the business of William the Bloody or Spike, a name well earned. Angelus you sodden fools is my sire."

"Spike?" One whispered, the word shaking from his mouth. "You . . ."

"Are one handsome devil. Danced and killed two slayers. Shoved railroad spikes into the nether reigns of my victims." He shrugged. "My reputation precedes me." Then he snarled. "But aien't here to reminisce with you ponces. So answer the damn question." He ordered. "Which one of you wankers dared to maim Angelus's property?"

For the second time that evening, fear waned in their eyes. They looked at each other and three of them started backing away, not wanting to tangle with a Master Vampire. One of them idiots, however, stepped forward, not about to let Cordelia escape when he was hungry and her blood scented the air.

"When I finish killing you, I'm going to kill her." He smiled. "And Angelus means absolutely nothing right now."

Spurned on by the bravery of the vampire, the remaining members laughed.

"Shouldn't you want to know the name of the man about to send you straight to hell?' Another voice asked, stepping out of the shadows.

Angelus!

He heart thumped in response to his appearance. She looked up at him and he was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. He'd come for her. He looked sexy standing in the moonlight in a pair of leather pants and a black shirt. His eyes flashed between gold and black, never once taking his eyes off the five attackers. She wanted to run to him, wrap herself in his strength and never let go. But she knew he wouldn't want the distraction, so she stayed where she was, leaning heavily against the headstone.

"Spike," Angelus never looked at his childe. "Is my Vixen okay?"

Spike scented the air, "She's bleeding." He answered, twisting the vampire he was holding a little harder.

Angelus growled loudly, turning to look at her himself. When his eyes settled on the broken frame of his Vixen, he wanted blood and vengeance and torture . . . not necessarily in that order. "How bad Vixen?" He demanded.

Cordelia wet her lips, wondering just how much she should tell him.

"How bad?" He snarled.

"Some bruises, a damaged leg," She stopped when she saw him clenched his jaw tightly.

His eyes glowed yellow as he snatched one of her attackers by his neck. He lifted the vampire off the ground with his hand, tightening his hold on the victim with each passing second. "Mine!" He snarled and twisted his wrist. There was a loud crunch and then dust floated around Angelus's. He turned back to Cordelia. "What else?"

"It's not . . ." He growled at her attempt to soften her injuries. "My wrist is broken and I think I have a broken rib." She answered, cradling her side.

Cordelia had never seen him that angry before, not even at the slayer as he howled into the darkness. "Were you bit?"

"No," Cordelia answered softly.

He nodded in satisfaction.

"She does belong to you," One whispered.

The remaining vampires were starting to under just how powerful Angelus and Spike truly were. There was power and confidence emulating off the vampire that flashed experience and Master. One may not have been well known to the small group, but it was hard to dispute his strength when he'd killed without breaking a sweat. And Spike . . . he was a Master Vampire with a reputation for torture and mayhem. Little did the entourage of vampires know was that he learned those techniques from Angelus.

She almost felt sorry for them. Almost.

"Yes!" Angelus answered.

"She told us . . . we didn't see no marks or nothing." He dropped onto his knees, begging for his life. "We didn't know.

"Not an excuse," Angelus whispered with anger. "And the only reason I am not going to prolong your death is because you didn't bit her."

"We only wanted dinner," One of the attackers defended himself.

"Well, don't worry," Angelus assured them, "Ye won't be needing dinner anymore."

Then Angelus nodded at Spike who quickly dispatched the vampire he was holding. A quick jerk and the vampire lost his arm. Spike then took the arm and started beating him with it, hard blows that had blood flying everywhere and Spike grinning like a madman. And while Cordelia should feel frightened, she knew she was safe with these two particular vampires.

Eventually the vampire Spike was beating stopped moving and he dropped his arm and stood up. He clicked something with his heel and a blade emerged from his black boot. He sliced the vampire's neck, leaving nothing behind but a pile of dust.

He smiled and then moved towards Angelus's Vixen, sinking down beside her to fully assess the damages. He breathed an easy sigh of relief that they had arrived when they did, because if that vampire had managed to sink his fangs into . . . he shuddered to think what would have happened. Angelus made it more then clear that the Princess was His and nothing had better happen to her. Last time something happened to something of his . . . Spike repressed the memories.

Angelus had been especially cheerful that week. He insisted they find better accommodations befitting of their stature, so he tortured and killed the owners of a mansion on the outskirts of town. After that he moved his family, Dru and Spike and a few trusted minions, into it and spent the remainder of the time sprucing it up. Then he redoubled his efforts into reacquainting himself to his lost childe, hunting with a newly cured Spike, and having tea parties with Dru.

Tonight was another thrilling hunt, prowling around town and devouring two delicious teenagers who were looking to be famous. _Guess they were now that the Scourge of Europe tasted them. _Gorged on blood and the high of the hunt, they now longed to kill something and sat out into the graveyard for some prey. And that was when Angelus's smelled his Vixen in pain and fear. They quickly made there way to her.

"Why aren't you helping Angelus?" She asked.

He snorted, "Only three of them bloody wankers. Angelus can handle them without breaking a sweat."

Then she turned her head to watch Angelus move fluently through the air, slicing and hitting at all the spots to leave the vampires exposed and hurting. He broke the wrist of one of them, satisfied that he'd learned never to touch his property. Then he tossed him aside to concentrate on the remaining two. Another screamed in pain as Angelus showed no mercy and broke his leg in several places, the bones protruding through the flesh. They begged for their lives like cowards, but in the end, Angelus killed them.

"Never touch what is mine." He ordered, twisting the neck of the last victim and watching the dust fly around him.

Then he turned towards Cordelia, his eyes still flashing yellow. She should be frightened, and yet she felt nothing but safe and protected. He wasn't fighting for her as the other vampires had been, but fighting because they harmed her. She'd never had someone want or care for her like that before and in the moment, she knew. She knew she belonged to him.

He moved towards her, shaking off his vampire features and returning to his human guise. He knelt down beside her, his eyes moving down the length of her body and growling every time he realized something had been hurt. He gently picked up her broken wrist and held it in his hands, his thumb stroking softly down the pulse point. Whatever he was doing made her hand ache less and she smiled in gratitude.

"Hospital," She whispered.

Angelus didn't respond to that, he just picked her up into his embrace, his massive arms cradling her softly. There was a dull thud of pain from her side, but nothing as sharp as before. She snuggled against him, feeling oddly safe for the first time in . . . ever.

"I've got you Vixen," He whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead gently.

She nodded and closed her eyes. "Thank you for saving me." She whispered, succumbing to the pulling darkness.

Angelus watched his Vixen fade into rest and he glanced over at Spike, "Apparently my word isn't good enough anymore." He growled, holding her tightly. "Make an example."

"I'll make sure the Princess is safe," Spike nodded in agreement. "Going to take her to the hospital?"

He shook his head, "I take care of my own." He looked down. "She'll heal quickly enough with some of my blood."

Spike nodded and followed his Sire into the darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

Angelus was furious.

After dispatching those worthless minions in the graveyard, he stormed into the mansion and headed straight towards his room, kicking it open with a fleeting satisfaction. Then he stepped inside the room and gently laid His Vixen down onto the bed, sinking down next to her to full assess the damage those vampires had caused her. If there was even a single mark, an irreparable injury on her body, both the demon world and the Slayer's gang would pay severely for their failure to heed his warnings.

Torture would be too little at this point.

He called for both his childe, needing them to keep his demon in check and to help repair the damage done. It was a pleasant surprise when Dru, who insisted on calling Vixen "Her Kitten", treated her with soft featherlike touches that were meant to comfort and not hurt. It was her that located the most damage, a broken rib to her chest that had somehow punctured her lung.

Angelus knew how fragile human bodies could be, and normally a human injured like this would be rushed to the nearest hospital to be placed under the care of doctors. But Spike, Dru, and Angelus had been torturing, breaking, and mending more bones in the last two hundred plus years than all the doctors in the city combined.

Spike carefully ran his hands along her ribcage until he found the broken bone and set it quickly. Once it was in place, Angelus slit his wrist and ordered His Vixen to drink his blood. Cordelia was determined, refusing to drink. But after an order and a growl, she quickly relented and accepted his blood. After a satisfying few gulps of his rejuvenating blood, she faded completely into the darkness. The three vampires knew it was a healing sleep that she had succumbed to, sensing that her body was mending her injuries. Given proper time, His Vixen would heal.

After the major injury was repaired, Angelus assessed the remaining injuries that she's sustained. Most of them were minor, with the exception of the broken wrist that required setting and held stabilized with a brace. Afterwards, he shooed his Childe and proceeded to finish undressing his Vixen, controlling his urges at seeing her body. This wasn't about sex; this was about ensuring that his Vixen was safe and protected. After she was undressed, he tenderly washed and dressed her remaining wounds, including the cut on her forehead and the gash on her upper thigh, which wasn't damaged as badly as he'd thought. Considering the damage those bastards could have done, Cordelia was lucky.

His jaw clenched, _or maybe they were the lucky ones to already be dead._

Once he'd finished attending her wounds, he undressed and slipped into the bed next to her, pulling her frame gently against his massive body. His eyes flashed between black and gold as he protected her and watched the door, his possessive vampire instincts taking over to ensure she remained safe. And then he closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep.

That had been two days ago and his Vixen still remained drawn under the healing sleep. He'd barely left her side in all that time, his Childe bringing him meals that he quickly devoured and then returned to his Vixen's side. If not for sensing that she was healing, he would have worried that something was wrong. Spike insisted that healing takes longer in humans, but Angelus didn't want logic . . . he wanted his Vixen.

Pulled from his brooding thoughts, his jaw clenched when he heard her breathless moan. Although his blood had healed the rib and repaired any internal breathing, she was still very injured. He vowed by everything Angelus represented in the demon world, vampire world, and human world, this town would be awash of his vengeance and blood and torture. No one would escape his wrath at bringing this town to its knees for harming his Vixen.

"Mmm," Came the moan again followed by a thrash of her body.

Angelus charged towards the bed and sank down next to her, his fingers gently soothing her cheek and brushing her hair. "Shush," He whispered, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. "Ye are safe." His fingers carded through her thick locks, growling when he spotted the jagged wound that looked like a thunder bolt on her forehead.

Never in his life did he wish that he could re-kill something as he did to those vampires for touching her.

"Mmm," She moaned again.

"I got ye, Vixen," He assured her, pulling her against his frame and rocking her gently.

"Angelus . . ." She whispered.

"Ah Vixen, it's me." He whispered softly.

She snuggled against his frame unconsciously and then slumbered peaceful again.

**oooOOOooOOOooo**

Cordelia felt like she was fighting her way out a fog of darkness into a light where everything hurt. As she struggled to reach the light, she realized she was lying on the something soft. At first she thought she'd dreamed the ordeal and she was lying in the comfort of her own bed. That was until she heard three separate voices hovering near her, a female and two male. She froze and she wondered where the hell she was. All she remembered was the graveyard . . . Angelus.

Suddenly vague memories overwhelmed her senses of Angelus tending to her, cradling her against him and his reassurance that she was safe with him. Even more disturbing then his gentle nature towards her, was that she actually did feel safe with him. He'd never given her a reason to doubt that she could trust him not to hurt her; in fact, he'd protected her on more than one occasion. And maybe that was so he could lure her into his arms and a false sense of security, yet, she didn't think that was his intentions.

She hoped she wasn't wrong.

She shift slightly, feeling the satin sheets against her skin and realized further that she was in Angelus's home. The sheets definitely didn't belong to her and he didn't have an invite into her abode. She doubted he'd trust her care into someone else anyway, so she knew she was in his home, knew it and wasn't afraid. A sense of safety overwhelmed her and she knew it was because nothing would touch her within these walls.

Understanding at last where she was, she also knew who the voices belonged to. The female was obviously Dru, who seemed to be arguing about playing with a kitten. The other two voices were distinctly male and it wasn't hard to guess who they belonged to. Spike's voice held a hint of his English past, his accent thick and his words strange. Angelus's voice was filled with more of his Irish background, steel ice underlying his words.

Suddenly she felt a cold hand placed against her forehead and Dru whispered, "Kitten is awake."

She felt the bed sink down next to her and when her nerve endings stirred, she knew it was Angelus. She felt his hand stroked her cheek softly, "Open those eyes Vixen." Angelus ordered.

She opened her eyes and met his dark gaze with a smile. "I don't do orders." She informed him.

Relief settled into his body at seeing her smile. Two days of watching and willing her eyes to open, the reality was all that much more satisfying. Those brown eyes looking at him without a single shred of fear and that smile . . . it was as if a thousand angels looked on him. It made him smile, as he countered, "You will mine."

"Pfft!" She snorted. "Good luck with that."

She adjusted herself slightly, studying the room she was lying in. The bed was the most dominant aspect of the room covered with a red comforter and black silk sheets. The walls had pictures adorned them, some of abstract art and others of landscapes and the ocean. The closet door was slightly ajar and she noticed it was filled with mostly black and red attire. Angelus, she knew instantly.

"Why didn't you take me home?" She asked Angelus with a frown.

"Because I don't have an invite," He answered. "And I wasn't going to allow you to bar me from entering it." Then he shifted on the bed, his hip moving closer to hers and his hands rested on either side of her frame. "Now do you want to explain what the hell you were doing running around alone in a cemetery after dark?"

She avoided the question for a minute, adjusting herself again. She pushed herself up into almost a sitting position, biting her lip when she felt a twinge on her side. Angelus immediately shifted, tugging her gently into his arms and cradling her against his chest. She wanted to push herself away, balk at his comfort, but when his arms tightened around her, she realized how good it felt. How good it felt to be held and cared for and protected. Never mind she was in the arms of a vampire, she only wanted to savor the moment. She lay down against him, pillowing her head against his chest.

As the sheet shifted against her frame, she suddenly stiffened as she realized she was naked under it. Somewhere over the course of this . . . whatever this was, she had been undressed, avoid of even her undergarments. The ramifications of what that meant, as she was lying naked pressed up against Angelus with nothing but a thin sheet separating their bodies.

Pulling back slightly, she gripped the sheet with her hands, and glowered at Angelus. "And what the hell were you doing undressing me?"

"You answer mine," He smiled wickedly, "And I'll answer yours."

She glared at him harder and then realized her glares hadn't worked on Angelus thus far and she doubted they would start anytime soon. With a sigh, she relaxed slightly, admitting, "My car broke down, I didn't have my cell phone, and I thought it would be quicker cutting thru the graveyard."

"Bloody hell but the Princess has got balls," Spike laughed.

She looked over to Spike who was leaning against the wall, "I was trying to reach the safety of my home." Then she looked at Angelus. "You know because I have exclusive invite privileges."

He growled in remembrance. "Where the hell was the Slayer?" He demanded.

"Figuring out what I did to change you," Cordelia answered lowering her gaze. "It seems she's still deluded enough to think that I have done something magical and taken Angel away from her."

"Always knew that bint wasn't dealing with a full set," Spike tossed out. "I should have killed her ages ago."

"Someone should have," Cordelia agreed dryly. Three sets of vampire eyes directed her way. She merely shrugged and explained, "Come one, she's Buffy Summers. The only way that girl could ever get the slayer gig was by being born into it." She studied her fingernail and then continued. "She's reckless. She isn't all that bright, like learning a few things about the demon you're about to slay would be a total waste of time." Angelus laughed. "Not to mention she had horrible taste in clothes, friends, and men."

"Hey," Angelus growled.

"Princess, I think you forgot that Angelus shagged the Slayer." Spike reminded her.

"No, Angel did." She clarified. "The Angel version wasn't all that impressive. He was broody and a horrible dresser." Then she turned towards Angelus, "And he sniffed around the Slayer." Then her eyes turned dark as she stated, "If you ever touch that Slayer again, I will cut off your penis and you will wear it around your neck for the remainder of your un-life."

Angelus laughed. Dru clapped. But Spike said, "Damn the Princess has spunk."

"I wouldn't touch her, unless it was to choke the life out of her body." Angelus assured her. "And right now she's lucky that ye weren't too injured or I'd show her exactly what I have become."

As she looked into his eyes, she realized he was serious. Her heart thumbed wildly, because it was the first time in her life that anyone cared enough about her to worry about her safety. Her parents . . . well she knew they didn't give a damn the minute they started staying away. If they ever worried, it was probably only about Cordelia's credit card spending limit. Her friends at school were too self-involved to care about her outside school grounds. And Buffy's little group used her to bait vampires and various other creatures, and they definitely didn't care if one of them took a drink or two of her blood. But looking at Angelus, a demon who tore through Europe like tissue paper, actually cared if she was hurt or not.

It felt right.

Pushing aside those thoughts, she moved back to the subject. She tried moving away from his arms, but he only tightened his hold. She glared at him again and then snapped, "Not that we've established that the Slayer is an idiot and my car broke down." She crossed her arms. "Tell me why I am undressed."

Angelus run his eyes down the length of her frame again, lust overwhelming his eyes in remembrance of uncovering what was beneath those clothes. Cordelia, his Vixen was so breathtaking, he'd have stopped breathing if he weren't already dead. She was His. "I wasn't about to let Spike do it." He shrugged.

He was evading the question and it was starting to piss her off. She glared at him, narrowing her eyes, "Why was it necessary to remove them at all."

He didn't answer right away, as he allowed his hand to move along the side of her leg, edging closer to her heated core. He smiled wickedly at her when he heard her breath catch in her throat. He knew exactly what he was doing and she shivered in response. He dropped his hand on her upper thigh and then shrugged calmly, "I had to tend to the wounds."

He answer made sense, but she didn't want him to make sense. So she arched an eyebrow and asked, "And you couldn't do that with my clothes on?"

"No," Was his only reply.

It was at that moment that Dru wanted some of her own attention, so she brushed a hand through Cordelia's hair. Cordelia looked at her with a smile. Dru smiled in returned, whispering, "You are such a pretty Kitten. We shall have a tea party and celebrate you coming to visit us."

"Do I have to wear a fancy dress?" Cordelia inquired.

It seemed odd that she was surrounded by three killers that made Jack the Ripper seem like a lamb and she didn't feel scared. In fact, she felt safer with them then she ever did with the Slayer or in the cemetery earlier tonight. Maybe it had something to do with Angelus and her had two encounters before this one and never once did he lash out or harm her, not even when he'd been angry.

Dru clapped at Cordelia's idea, "We shall all wear our best clothes and Miss Edith too." She swayed gently. "We shall play so nice and you will have tea and scones . . ."

"What is a scone?" Cordelia asked.

"Oi," Spike groaned, "Bloody Americans."

She glared at him, rolling her eyes, "Says the Billy Idol fan."

"He was English," Spike defended him. "And he got his look from me."

"Sure he did," She pacified him. "And you didn't answer the question."

It was Angelus who answered with a sigh, "A scone is British quick bread."

"Oh," Cordelia nodded, returning to Dru, who was still brushing her hair. "Can I have cookies instead?"

"Spike," She turned to him in dismay. "Miss Edith and I don't have cookies."

Spike smiled at Cordelia and then turned to Dru, "It's alright, Love." He assured her. "Daddy and kitten are going to talk while you and I get some cookies."

Dru calmed down and allowed Spike to help her off the bed. Before reaching the door, she turned back to Cordelia. "I will be back, Kitten, for our tea party."

"I can't wait," Cordelia smiled. "Bye Dru. Bye Spike."

They left the room and then it was her and Angelus.


	9. Chapter 9

9.

The silence in the room was deafening.

Cordelia couldn't bring herself to say anything yet, still processing everything in her head. When she looked into Angelus's dark eyes, she saw something she'd longed for and it scared and exhilarated her. He was giving her what so many other people in her life had long denied her, complete and utter acceptance of Cordelia Chase, the woman not the actress.

"How long have I been here," She finally asked.

Angelus shifted slightly, his eyes meeting hers. "Two days, give or take a couple of hours."

"Two days?" She echoed. "But I . . ." She fingered her rib and then absently rubbed her wrist. "My injuries."

"Not as bad as you thought," he attempted to answer, hoping he wouldn't have to reveal he'd given her his blood.

Cordelia frowned, "No, my rib . . . I remember not being able to breathe very well. And my wrist was broken," She lifted it to study it fully in the light. "I heard the crunch . . ."

"Maybe it was the adrenaline of the fight . . ."

She glared at him, "What aren't you saying?"

Angelus snagged her hand, his thumb gently gliding over the injury. "You aren't going to like the truth . . ."

"But I need it." She pleaded with her eyes.

He nodded, "You did break your wrist and rib, which punctured your lung." His hand reached out to brush her hair back from her cheek. "I brought you back here and I . . . you were given several transfusions of my blood, which has healing properties. It is the only reason you are healed after such a short time."

_Blood. _She froze in horror for a brief second, wondering if she'd been turned into a vampire. It would certainly explain why she felt so comfortable in the presence of the Scourge of Europe, three of the blood thirstiest creatures to ever walk the planet. Dru wanted to have a tea party with her and she accepted, wouldn't that be something only a vampire would want to do. What if they didn't serve tea, but somebody's blood and she liked the taste. And it explained the connection she felt to Angelus that went beyond attraction, but something sitting deep within her. A calling, a need. Vampire. She was a vampire.

Angelus sensing her distress placed a hand against her chest, "You are alive. Your heart beats strong and steady . . . listen." He paused and made her listen. "You can breathe and you will be able to walk in the sun." He tilted her chin up. "I only gave you some of my blood, not enough for any lasting effects outside your healing."

"I'm not . . ." She whispered.

"No," Angelus assured her. "You are still human."

She sighed with relief, "Oh thank god. I thought I was about to run through the streets murdering and killing all my friends . . ." She noticed Angelus's expression and stopped talking. "I didn't . . . It's just that I . . ."

He placed a finger against her lips, silencing her, "Nothing to apologize for. I've been a vampire for over two centuries and Dru and Spike had been one for over a century. It's our nature to hunt, but it is something we had to learn." He smiled. "Spike took almost two months before he fed from his first human, and she was half dead at the time."

"I know you need it to survive, it's just . . ."

"You are human," He finished. "You cannot understand what drives us, because you have your humanity to cling too."

"Um," She bit her lip, "thanks for saving me."

"As if I was going to allow you to die," He snorted. "I told you once before, you belong to me."

This time his words had a different effect on her and she wanted to sink into them and his strength . . . forgetting Buffy and the fact he was evil. She was not idiotic enough to believe that just because he treated her one way that all of Sunnydale was safe from him. He was a vampire and they needed blood. Angelus was not a bagged vampire. Yet none of that bothered her as she laid there in his house, his bed, and his arms touching and caressing her so gently. He was a vampire, but he was also a man and that was what her body had a difficult time processing.

"Can I make a small request?" She asked.

He smiled, already knowing exactly what his Vixen wanted. She was not foolish enough to assume he would trap himself by bagged blood like the soul part of him did. He'd dined on rats and small animals, not to mention drinking that pig swell for close to a century and he wasn't about to drink it now that he was free. However, if he knew his Vixen, and he did, she was about to request that he restrict his hunting activities to the scum down on the piers. Thus avoiding munching on her friends or anyone she might know from school.

"What can I do for my Vixen," He caressed her cheek.

"Could you . . . I mean I know not feeding . . . the soul drink bagged blood and I . . . I mean you wouldn't . . ."

He placed a finger against her lips. "I will only kill those who deserve it and I don't have to kill to eat."

She slumped back with relief, "Thank you."

"You are most welcome, My Vixen." He whispered seductively.

And desire hit her body, spreading like wildfire across her until she was burning. She knew she was safe in his house and in bed, but that didn't mean she forget about the past week and his absence from her life. If she wanted to recap everything that happened since his supposed claim, she could start with Xander dumping her like a moldy sack of potatoes. Then her outcast from the Scooby's due to Angelus's interest in her, something he hadn't renewed in a week. Her car breaking down and having to walk through a dark graveyard without protection. The attack of five newly turned vampires that almost killed her if not for Spike intervening. And in the end, it lead her to the one place she realized she'd wanted to be all week: with Angelus.

If he only come before tonight . . . it made her angry. Without warning, she sat up and punched him in the face.

"What the hell was that for," He demanded, fingering his cheek.

"Leaving me alone this past week," She snapped. "Pfft!" She narrowed her eyes, "You sure have a funny way of staking your claim."

He frowned, "I told you, you belong to me."

She sank back against the pillows and tossed her hands up into the air. "Sure you did." She snapped. "You tell me I'm yours and then you disappear for a week without one single word or note or call or nothing."

Light dawned in his dark eyes, as he finally understood where the anger was stemming from. His Vixen missed him. He tightened his jaw and glared at her, "Last I recalled, you smacked me and disappeared into the darkness." He reminded her.

"I thought that was floor play to vampires like you."

"Floor play," He arched an eyebrow. "So was that your invite into your bedroom?"

Her eyes widened. "I . . . You . . ."

He moved swiftly and she found herself lying directly under his hard body. His elbows braced on the bed, taking the brunt of the weight off body. His hands entangled in her hair and he gazed down at her with those eyes that made her lose all rational thought. "I will not allow you to deny what we have," He ordered softly. "Your body was made for mine and I was made for you."

Before she could summon a protest, his lips were dropping down against hers. As soon as those hard lips pressed against her soft ones, Cordelia was lost, caught up in a wave of raw desire. She parted her lips and darted her tongue out hungry, desperate to taste him again. She needed this, needed him on a level she didn't comprehend, but complied to follow anyway. Angelus nibbled gently on her bottom lip and Cordelia shivered, moving her arms to wrap around his neck, dragging him down against her body completely. He smiled and then allowed his tongue to meet hers, dancing together in a blazing fire of desire and need. Cordelia wondered if it would always be like that between them, raw desire fueled by instinct to an explosion that rocked both of their worlds.

Finally, the need to breathe outweighed their desire and he pulled back, his teeth scraping gently over her bottom lip. She shivered and held onto him tighter. "Mine." He whispered.

"If that is the case, why did you wait?" She asked, hoping she didn't sound as rejected as she felt. "You're an evil vampire; shouldn't you keep trying to reach the object of your obsession?"

"I did," He reminded her.

"Pfft." She glared. "I stumbled into you in the graveyard escaping more vampires." She reminded him. "You should have found another way to get to me. Find someone to invite you inside my home. Show up at my window in the middle of the night." She lowered her gaze, "But you didn't do anything." He tilted her chin you. "You disappeared on me and then I had to hear Buffy rant about how I wasn't your type. That you preferred blondes."

"I dinna have a choice when it came to Darla," Angelus admitted. "She was me sire."

"And Buffy?" Cordelia asked.

"Was what the human part of me craved," He admitted. "But me demon has always had a fondness for dark haired ravens, tis why Darla always despised Dru, because I picked her."

She lowered her gaze, "I guess none of this really matters anyway." She bit her lip and then admitted, "I had already accepted a date."

He growled, "Blood will run through the streets before I allow ye to seek shelter with someone else." He leaned down to whisper against her lips, "Nae one touches ye save me."

"Spike did," She pointed out.

"Spike is family!"

"Pfft! To you maybe, but not me," Then she pushed him back, needing space. "I am still injured here."

"Believe me when me say me knows just how injured ye were," Angelus informed her with anger. "If I'd known the full extent of ye injuries before killing those fledglings, I would have them hanging in me basement for a thorough torture lesson."

She shivered.

"And the slayer and I are going to have a tête-à-tête about me particular obsessions." He growled. "Because I'd sooner lob off me own manhood then ever touch that lass again." His Irish heritage always more pronounced when he was angry. "Do not ever think I don't a want ye." He brushed back her hair from her neck, "Twas giving ye time before I took and claimed ye."

"Next time don't," Cordelia snapped, "Gives me time to think of getting out of it."

It was at that precise moment that Cordelia and Angelus realized the meaning behind her words.

He smiled, even when she held up a hand. He gripped her hand, his fingers entwining together. He raised it up above her head, his other hand moving back to gently graze her breast. She shuddered at his touch, dissolving into a willing participant in whatever came next. It didn't matter what it was, as long as he kept toughing her like that. His eyes met hers and when she glanced into their depths filled with desire and need, all the remaining doubts fled. She belonged to him.

A part of Cordelia was frightened at the thought, never having someone who wanted her so much. She'd always been alone; acceptance of that fact was easy. However, when she saw him stepping out of the darkness in the graveyard and her first thought was to run into his embrace, she knew than that a part of her had already accepted his claim. She didn't know what it meant yet to belong to Angelus, but she wanted to find out. The thought of anyone touching her this way but him made her sick. It had to be this vampire that touched her places she'd never explored before and she only hoped he'd never let her go.

"Vixen." He whispered, stroking her cheek.

"I don't . . . You can't leave me." She whispered back, seconds before she threw herself against his frame and burrowed deep into his strength. Her hands held on tightly to his shirt. She whispered, "Everyone leaves me."

He rolled suddenly, lying on his back with her cradled gently against his chest. One hand entangled into her hair and the other moved around her back to lightly stroke it. It angered him that His Vixen had been tossed around like unwanted trash. Anyone with half a brain could look and see all the things she'd been trying to hide. She may try to dumb down her intelligence, but one only had to hear her talk to see the intelligence she had. She was beautiful, but she didn't define herself by clothes or make-up, preferring to wear comfort versus style. She was loyal, strong, and stubborn, but underneath all that, she was vulnerable.

She needed him. "I won't," He promised, kissing her temple.

They laid in silence, Angelus stroking her back gently with reassurance, a silent signal that he wasn't going to let her go . . . ever. She belonged to him, with him. Of course, now of that mattered when he completed the claim. Once the claim was in effect, there wouldn't be a place on earth that she could hide from him. Not that she would want to. The claim was binding and if completed properly, His Vixen would belong to him as he would her.

Eventually her hands relaxed their hold on his shirt and she closed her eyes and sank deeper into the strength of the man holding her. A vampire, an evil vampire, had given her more in a few short days then most of the people she'd known a lifetime. He'd sheltered her, protected her, killed for her, and yet touched her with a gentleness unlike anything she'd ever felt before. He was an enigma, a contradiction to everything she ever thought she understood about vampires.

"Angelus?" She suddenly whispered.

"Yes, Vixen," He loosened his hold so she could sit up and look at him.

"How does a claim work?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I know there is more to this claim thing than just saying it," Cordelia admitted. "I may be a cheerleader, but I am intelligent enough to know whenever you stake a claim on me, the vampires and other creatures seemed to pause slightly. Why?"

"I'd need to explain more about the claim and all it entitles," He answered carefully.

"Okay, so explain, starting with do I have to be a vampire?"

It was another sign that the two of them were already in harmony with one another. She felt his own need for claiming and she responded. And while he wished it would wait a little while longer, he knew the time had come. His Vixen was too bright, too intelligent to ever allow a sacred ritual pass by without knowing everything about it. It was one of the many reasons he selected her . . . no he wanted her, because she was his match in every single way. And just as much as he desired her, he wanted no lies between them. Claiming her required acceptance from both of them, an unwilling participant couldn't be claimed.

"Maybe we should discuss this downstairs with Spike and Dru," He suggested.

Fear gripped her insides, "It must be important if you want those two to help explain it."

He titled her chin up to meet his gaze, "I want no mistakes or misunderstandings between us." He pressed his forehead against hers. "The claim is too important to not understand everything it involves."

"And if I still refuse," Cordelia asked.

He smiled, "I'll have to change your mind." His hand glazed down the side of her bare shoulder, "And I'm good at changing minds."

She shivered, "So I noticed."

He smiled wickedly, "Come Vixen, and see what it means to be claimed by a demon." He slipped out from underneath her and stood up off the bed. He turned and offered her a hand.

Cordelia accepted the hand and gripped the sheet tightly with the other one, hoping she wasn't about to make a mistake.


	10. Chapter 10

10.

A little while later, Cordelia found herself dressed in one of Angelus's shirts, a blue overthrow tugged across her bare thighs, and seated comfortably on a massive chair downstairs in front of the hearth. It was quite a shock that as soon as she buttoned the last button, he swept her up into his massive arms and started out of the room and down the stairs. She hung onto his frame, not afraid he'd drop her, but what he'd planned next.

He deposited her in a massive chair in the lounge of the home—mansion from what she'd seen from the quick tour—that he'd currently take up residence in. Cordelia glanced around the room with a thoughtful eye and found it suited Angelus. She'd never frequented the soul's apartment, but she imagined it filled with old relics from the past that would remind the tortured fool of what he'd done in Europe. Angelus felt no qualms of brooding about the past and the room—the house reflected his manner.

The lounge was cozy and warm, inviting even, with a massive marble fireplace the center of the attention. Littered on the mantle were various art pieces that Cordelia judged to be quite expensive in both price and workmanship. Besides the chair she sat in, a black sofa angled towards the fireplace in the center of the room. There were several various paintings adoring the walls from different artists and eras, some quite extraordinary, a massive Chinese chest that stood against one wall by the door, the door slightly ajar to reveal a rather extensive weapon collection. But what had really captured her eyes were the stacks of books situated on the cedar bookcase along the far wall of the room.

Her heart thumped at the thought of reading . . .

Angelus hunched down next to the chair, smiling, "You should see the library."

He eyes widened even further and she hoped she wasn't drooling. "Library?"

"Angelus likes to read, Princess." Spike informed her, "Carted around books for as long as I could remember." Then he reached into his duster and found a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. "I figured the soul liked books too, since Angelus snagged those from his old place, but I never found out because I hated the sodden bastard."

Cordelia only nodded numbly. Angelus lifted a hand against her cheek, his thumb stroking it tenderly. "We can explore my literary kingdom later." She nodded in agreement. "You want to know about claiming."

Spike's eyes widened, "Damn Princess, I didn't think you'd have enough balls to ask that."

"Spike," Dru hushed him, "Kitten wants Daddy to talk now."

Cordelia covered her smiled, watching as Spike looked like he was about to protest and then he softened and leaned forward to kiss Dru's neck. She giggled and then turned to bite his lip, blood spilling between them. Cordelia should feel grossed out by the exchange of blood between them, but somehow it felt right between the two of them. Anyone who looked at this couple could see that Spike and Dru were deeply in love with each other.

"Spike! Dru!" Angelus gained their attention. "I need your help in explaining things."

Then he moved swiftly, lifting Cordelia up out of the chair and depositing her firmly into his lap. He nestled her against his massive chest, her head fitting comfortably in the nook of his shoulder. His fingers entangled within her dark strands, combing lightly through them with his fingers. His other hand moved to rest near her hip, keeping a firm grip on her body.

"Claiming is tricky." He started.

Spike rolled his eyes, "Only if one of you is human." Then his blue gaze settled on Cordelia, "Should just turn her."

Angelus felt the shiver as it moved through her body and he growled at his childe. "I already told you I'm not turning her."

Spike shrugged, "Like her either way, but vampire Princess would be badass." He smiled at Cordelia.

She smiled back, "Of course I would." She sat up straighter. "I am Cordelia Chase."

Angelus smiled and rubbed her back with pride. His Vixen was surprising and he could almost imagine her with long black hair and an earthy beauty surrounding her in the darkness, luring prey into her clutches and then attacking relentlessly. His lions clenched at the image and he shifted against her. As much as he wanted to see that image, he wanted her warm and just like this. Her charm was being human and not afraid of his touch or claim. In all the two hundred plus years of his existence, even with the soul, he'd never had a human trust so completely.

"What do you know about vampires?" He started.

"How to kill them, what they eat, and how to turn a human into one," She answered. "Call it an education with the Scooby Troop."

"Didn't that sodden watcher teach you anything?" Spike asked.

"No, he focuses on his slayer and the rest of us just stumbled along behind," She informed him.

"If he didn't teach ya anything, then what did you do in this Slayer group?" Spike asked, lighting a cigarette.

"She's the bait," Angelus answered, the anger apparent in his tone of voice and the harsh growl he made. "She walks through the graveyard like a delicious vampire snack and waits for someone to attack."

"Bloody hell, it's a sodden miracle you haven't got killed." He cursed. "Of course, you came dame close the other night." He blew out a poof of smoke. "Why doesn't that bloody watcher teach you anything?"

"Giles didn't talk much about anything." She informed him. "At first I thought it was because he didn't want to scare his Slayer with stories of vampires and demons. But lately I think it's because he doesn't think Buffy can handle the truth about vampires and such."

Dru swayed gently, "A little girl went a walking and fell into a trap." Cordelia glanced at her. "She tried to scream but the demon's jaws went snap." She clapped her hands with glee. "No more little girl."

"I think I actually understood what she said," She announced with disbelief. "I don't know if I should be happy or werided out."

Spike laughed, "Dru's special." Cordelia nodded in agreement.

"Ahem," Angelus gained their attention again. "Can we get back to this claiming?" All three nodded. "Was there anything in the journals you stole?"

"Yeah the Scourge of Europe exploits and a little about a sire/childe relationship." She answered.

"The good days," Spike smiled with remembrance, "Before the sodden soul and a century of misery."

Angelus smiled with agreement. He could hardly dispute how things were back before the soul came along estranging himself for his childe and family. He could remember the nightly hunts that ended with rich virgin blood flowing sweetly down his throat. The fights that had him laughing and dancing a merrily chase with Spike by his side. He loved walking into an establishment and the name of Angelus struck fear into both humans and demons alike. Angelus was a bloodthirsty demon with a reputation, one that was tarnished by the whining actions of the soul. In fact, the only favor the soul did was stake Darla and rid him of a two and a half century pain in his ass.

Pushing aside those thoughts, he turned his attention back to Cordelia, clarifying, "A sire/childe relationship is very different from a claiming," Angelus clarified. "A sire doesn't have to necessarily claim the childe."

"Okay, so what does claiming involve?' She asked. "In spite of my extensive search into the watcher's journals, I couldn't find anything about a claim."

"That's cause them sodden arses wouldn't know anything about a real vampire unless it was biting him," Spike tossed out. "They spent all that time watching and writing and watching, but none of them have the balls to actually get into the fray and fight."

Cordelia smiled at Spike, "Explains why they have a Slayer."

Even Angelus smiled at that comment. The Watchers were know-it-all jackasses who were too afraid of their own shadow to fight the evil in the world; instead, they send a small girl to fight for them. Irony?

"Can't find fault in a lapse in watcher knowledge," Angelus admitted bitterly. "Claiming isn't something a vampire, their claimant, or the demon population as a whole discusses with the humans."

"Why?" She asked.

The three vampires looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. Cordelia should feel slighted, but she liked that Angelus had a family bond even though everything she was led to believe said otherwise. Angelus was supposed to be a killer who took and took without caring about anyone or anything but himself. The watcher's journals all labeled him a monster, a soulless demon, but Cordelia saw something different. The souled version of him hid in the shadows, refusing to live with humans, dining on rats and vermin. But Angelus lived, and maybe not like she would approve of, but he lived. He was larger than life when he walked into a room, commanding his attention and announcing his presence without uttering a single word. He cared about his family, Spike and Dru, the evidence in him healing Spike and moving them into a home worthy of their status. Angel was the one who put Spike in the chair. So maybe, just maybe, the watcher's or Buffy wasn't as smart as they claimed to be.

"Claiming requires . . ." Angelus paused, "Let me explain the process and then I'll explain why." Cordelia nodded in agreement. "To answer your first question, a claim doesn't have to work on only a vampire."

"Duh?" She snapped. "Human here and you are the vampire." Then she rolled her eyes. "The question was do I have to die?"

He smiled at her, "No." His hands trailed down to her chest and he touched the skin above her heart. "Making you a vampire would take away everything that I like about you."

She sighed with relief, "No offense, but I don't want to die to be with you."

He laughed, "None taken."

Spike sighed, "Look Princess the first claim is just a mark."

"A bite," Cordelia asked, turning to look at him.

"No, lest every other vampire would claim its victim by feeding from them," Spike disagreed. "A mark is a bite that only another vampire would see and understand."

Cordelia nodded, "A scent or something that tells them I'm claimed."

Angelus nodded, "Yes. The vampire bites the person and a small mark is put in the skin that tells other vampires or demons that you are protected by someone."

"Why would a vampire need just a human marked?" Cordelia asked.

"Vampires can't go out during the day, so sometimes we call upon humans to do errands for us." He explained. "I've never had the need for a marked human, but some of the older masters like them because they are easier to control then minions."

"Oh," She mouthed. "So a mark is just like branding a cow so no one else can hurt or take them."

"Oy, a cow," Spike laughed. "Princess, I prefer to think of human's as walking Happy meals."

Cordelia glared at him, shivering as she realized exactly what that statement meant.

Dru must have sensed that Cordelia was frightened, because she turned to her mate, whispering harshly, "Hush Spike." She raised a finger to his lips. "Daddy wants to keep Kitten forever." Then Dru looked over to Cordelia, "Kitten we shall treat you so nice if you stay with us. There will be tea parties and cookies and we shall never let anyone hurt you anymore."

There was that familiar thump in her heart. This time it wasn't out of fear. It was acceptance and a sense of belonging. In that moment, it didn't matter that a deranged vampire had begged her to stay. It was that someone wanted her to stay. Acceptance of who she was hadn't happened in her life, not even to the people who gave her birth. Then she felt Angelus's fingers entwine with hers and she dropped her gaze down to look at them together, pale and golden, merging into one. Stay! One word and yet it beckoned her to everything she'd ever wanted.

"I . . ."

"Later," He whispered. He stroked her hair and she nodded. "Now the second claim is when vampire and human exchange blood."

"Eew," She shuddered. "Drinking blood doesn't sound all that appealing."

"Blood has this coopery taste mixed with the essence of the being you are drinking from," He licked his lips. "For instance, I think drinking from you would be like sipping wine, dark, sweet, and makes you heady."

"Blood can be an aphrodisiac," Spike cut in.

"You think fighting is need for sex," Angelus snapped.

"Oy, what's the point of afterlife if you have to sustain from all the fun." He countered, winking at Cordelia.

Cordelia laughed.

Angelus turned back to his Vixen. "The second claim requires an exchange of blood because once the exchange is completed a bond is forged between them. Neither can go anywhere that the other doesn't feel."

"And it only requires one taste?" She asked.

"On the part of the human," Angelus answered. "To keep the bond strengthened, the vampire would have to exchange blood with them on several occasions."

"Does it hurt," She whispered. "Biting . . ."

Dru clapped, "Daddy is good with making pain feel like pleasure."

Cordelia paled and then turned to look at Angelus. He simply met her gaze, "If the vampire knows what he is doing, it should bring pleasure." He leaned down to whisper against her lips, "And I know exactly what I am doing." Then he kissed her.

The kiss lasted the briefest of moments, but when he released her lips, she swayed against his shoulder. His hand gently stroked her stomach and she allowed her head to rest against the hard lines of his chest. She itched to touch him as he was touching her, but she refrained. She needed a clear head if she was going to finish the conversation. She looked up to meet it eyes, whispering, "And the last one?"

"Is a mate claim," He answered. "It's the equivalent of a human marriage only with stronger ties."

"It's what Dru and I have," Spike informed her. "I'd die without my Dru."

Dru touched Spike's cheek and whispered softly, "The stars brought us together and the stars will keep us there."

Cordelia smiled at them, liking the ease into which she'd settled into the strange family.

Angelus grabbed her chin and returned her attention onto him. "Usually it is only done between two vampires, because once the claim is in place, it is unbreakable."

"So I guess no divorce." She quipped.

"No," Angelus answered darkly. "This is far more potent than a mere wedding ceremony before a priest. This claim sustains time, place and obstacles trying to separate them. If after this claim is in place one of the two was to die . . ."

Spike looked at Cordelia, "The remaining mate would fall into a deep depression and soon after follow." His hands moved to brush back Dru's hair, "I've loved this woman over a hundred and fifty years and I will love her until the day we both die."

"My Spike would chase me into Hell," Dru whispered. "Fire and flames burns us like love."

"It also explains why the watchers don't know about it," Cordelia admitted. "Imagine that information in their hands?"

"It would be a witch hunt on our mates," Angelus agreed. "Of course, if the watcher council started a campaign to hunt down mates, they would be ill prepared for the entire demon realm waging a war the humans would not win."

She frowned, "What would it matter if a vampire's mate dies to any other demon?"

Spike leaned forward, "Because a mate is sacred, not to just vampires but demons as well. Demons mate for life, not just when it suits them. If one mate is injured or wronged, it is a mark against all mates."

Cordelia started to understand just how closely knit the demon world was. They relied on blood and violence to survive, but also family and love played a huge part in their world. It was more elaborate than human bonds, which fade over time or weren't that strong to begin with. Xander sprung to time mind.

"What does this claim require?" She turned to Angelus.s

"It requires blood and sex." Somehow, she knew it was coming. A bond that tight and secure would have to require an exchange of their bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. "Both parties have to regularly engage in both parts of the claim, which is also the reason why it isn't attempted outside vampire realms."

"Why?" She frowned. "I mean blood . . . not my favorite but you'd think someone would get use to the taste like a hamburger. And the sex . . ." She blushed.

"Yes, but our blood has certain properties that give us life. If we share too much with a human . . ." He trailed off.

Suddenly she understood. "They might start changing?"

"Yes." He answered. "It is rare between a human and vampire, but it was tempted once about two hundred and seventy years ago between a vampire and his lover. They were in love and neither knew or truly understood the ramifications of what their actions would cause."

"Not that it would have stopped the sodden idiots," Spike said.

"What happened," She asked, bringing a hand up to her throat.

Angelus sighed, "The changes were subtle at first. She was gifted with being able to see in the dark, added strength, longer stamina."

"So she became like a Slayer of sorts." But as she caught the look in his eye, she knew there was more. "Something else happened."

Spike lit up another cigarette, toying with his lighter to avoid telling the Princess what truly happened. Even Dru seemed to withdraw into herself, as she leaned further into Spike and started whispering about stars and Miss. Edith and protection. And Angelus met her gaze with the stark truth shining in his eyes, truth that she needed to hear and yet didn't want to.

"Annabeth was twenty when Marcus claimed her . . . she still looks twenty."

"But that was over . . ." Cordelia gasped.

"Yes, no one knows how long Annabeth will live." Angelus finished. "But the immortality is only one of the changes, there were others as well." He sighed. "She can eat human food, but it no longer sustains her body. She must have fresh blood . . ."

Cordelia gasped at what Angelus was implying. This woman was living and breathing, but her feet were firmly in the realms of vampire.

"The changes made her more bloodthirsty," Angelus stated with a sigh. "She can sense whatever Marcus feels, his need for blood and violence and soon it corrupted everything about her."

Cordelia looked at him, "What is she?"

"The human equivalent of a vampire," Spike answered. "The only difference is she breathes, her heart beats, and she is warm to touch."

"But she . . ." Cordelia looked at Spike.

"Is a vampire in every other sense," He answered. "She hunts with him, kills with him, feeds with him, and she sodden enjoys it." He sighed and put out his smoke. "Blood, especially vamp blood shouldn't be messed with. If it keeps our sodden arses alive, imagine what it would do to an unchanged human."

Cordelia tried and failed. She turned to look at Angelus, "You gave me blood to heal . . ."

"Only small doses," He assured her, "Nothing that would make any lasting changes."

She nodded absently. Then she felt the tension in the room and she looked at the three other occupants. They were waiting for her to make a decision and it didn't take much to figure out what that decision was. Angelus wanted to claim her as a mate, but he was leaving the decision up to her. The question was what she wanted.

"You want to make me your mate," She voiced aloud.

"Yes," He admitted softly. "But I cannot force ye to the ritual."

She nodded again, wondering if she had the strength and courage to bind herself to a vampire for eternity, turning into another Annabeth, one foot in the human world and another foot in his world. Could she endure century after century, turning more bloodthirsty with each passing day, soon feeding on the population without a care for the humans. The alternative was to leave Angelus and his acceptance. Moving through her life with motions and smiles that she didn't really mean, all the while her heart remained frozen and untouched. Wouldn't that be just the same as what he was offering? Only his offer came with him and a family. His offer was about acceptance of her and him and wanting each other anyway.

He wanted her with him forever and that was all she needed to hear.

"Would I still be able to finish school?" She asked, her education important to her. She was unsure about the rest of her future, but she wanted to at least say she finished high school.

"Only if you promise not to run off with some football jock," He teased.

Cordelia snored, "As if you wouldn't just track us down and eat him."

He kissed the tip of her nose, "You know me so well." She nodded and chewed on her lip for a second, pondering whether she could ask the question. "Just ask me." He ordered softly.

She nodded, "Say I agree to this mate claim and then ten years down the road I want to become a real vampire, would the claim still work after I change."

"Princess is full of surprises," Spike teased with a laugh.

Angelus smiled at her, "Vampire or human, the claim remains intact." He growled deeper, glaring at her. "Ye think I willa allow ye to leave me?" He growled harshly. There was that Irish brogue that made him charming and yet dangerous.

"And how will I eat and live?" She asked thoughtfully.

"Do you think that I lived two hundred plus years and never tucked money away," He asked with a growl.

"How much," She inquired with an arched eyebrow.

"Enough," He answered.

"And I don't have to share a bed with anyone else?"

"I'd kill anyone who thinks of touching ye," He growled. "I told ye once before, I don't share."

"Mates aren't passed around," Spike supplied. "Now will you sodden answer Princess?" He sighed. "Pet and I have some new chains need breaking in."

Cordelia blushed, lowering her gaze, "I would like very much to be your mate."

Angelus smiled brightly.

Then Spike stood to his feet and dragged Dru to hers, "Come along, Love, we aren't needed here anymore." The two of them swayed out of the room.

"Mine," Angelus whispered, leaning down to claim her lips.


	11. Chapter 11

11.

He broke apart from Cordelia, pleased that she protested slightly and tried following his lips. She was his. His for all eternity, and nothing would ever come between them. He stroked the softness of her cheek and found he couldn't look away from her beauty. He marveled at the feelings this mere moral commanded from him. He was Angelus, a fierce demon who danced in blood and murder, slaughtering innocents all in the name of fun. He shouldn't feel anything for this snipe of a human, but he did. The trust shining in those hazel eyes as they gazed at him . . . he'd never hurt her and he'd kill anyone who touched a single hair on her head.

His.

"Angelus . . ." She whispered softly.

Something in her eyes gave him pause, "Not changing your mind, are you?"

Angelus itched to shake her until she admitted she belonged with him. The thought of letting her go . . . even in death, made him want to rally up and kill something. She was his Vixen and he wasn't ever letting her leave his side again. He was claiming her, marking her in every way he could, and she would remain in his bed—this house—if he had to chain her to his bed to ensure it.

He tightened his grip on her body, dragging her against his frame and locking her against him. His fingers fisted into her hair, tilting her head up for his possessive kiss, showing her exactly who and what she belonged to. And as those hard lips pressed against her, she knew she was lost. His lips possessed her, hard and unyielding as they tasted her repeatedly, demanding acceptance. She was his and the sooner she realized that startling fact, the sooner he could get to bringing them both unspeakable pleasures.

Needing to taste her, his tongue forced its way into her mouth, battling with hers hungrily. She tasted sweet and sultry, liking drinking blood from a young virgin bride, and he found himself suddenly addicted to her brand of taste.

Cordelia tasted Angelus and all she could do was hang onto him, surrendering to the blue electrifying desire swelling from within. Angelus's kisses weren't the paltry kisses Xander and her exchanged in the closet. Angelus knew what he wanted and he wasn't afraid to go after it. Maybe it was the demon in him, but Cordelia knew that whatever Angelus wanted, he got. It wasn't arrogance, but a fact and she was learning that rather quickly under his lips and tongue.

It was then that she stopped fighting.

Stopped wanting to get away from him and leaned into his strength, trusting he'd catch her. Her hands fisted into his hair and she adjusted herself so she was straddling his lap, her core scrapping against his own swelling sheath. She felt his groan in her mouth, as his tongue flicked faster against her own. He was drowning in his Vixen and his need was threatening to consume his self-control. She was so beautiful, so demanding, and so completely his.

Finally the need to breathe drove them apart, as Cordelia panted heavily against his forehead, her hot breathe stirring him even further. His hands still gripped her hair tightly, refusing to allow her to even consider leaving him again. He brought his Vixen into this house and there she would stay, whether she liked the idea or not. He moved one hand down the length of her body, encircling her back to drag her tighter against his frame. Her fingers were unconsciously stroking the nape of his neck.

"I need to claim ye," He whispered, tilting her head up to look into his eyes.

"I know," She admitted. "But what about if Angel comes back?" She asked, needing the truth.

"Angel is gone."

"I know, but I also know that Buffy wants her boyfriend back and Willow is getting good with the magic and Jenny is a member of the tribe that originally cursed you. They could put the soul back." She fingered his chest, unable to bear the thought of Angel's return and losing Angelus, maybe this time forever.

He tilted her chin up and met her gaze, "Listen to me. Willow could be the greatest witch in the world and Jenny one of the original gypsy that cursed me, neither of them could put this soul back into my body. He is gone. Angel is gone forever." He touched her lips with his fingers. "And if by some unforeseen miracle that Broody bastard returned, he would have to honor the claim." Although the thought of anyone touching her, even his soul counterpart was enough to make him kill something or someone.

"I don't want Angel," She snapped, settling against him further. "I want you."

"Glad to hear it," He smiled, pleased that she didn't want just this shell of a body, but wanted him and his demon.

"Besides, Angel is broody and feels guilty and he's the slayer pet." She shuddered. "He could just not do the claim anymore."

Angelus put a finger against her lips, "The soul is an idiot and the Slayer's pet, but he knows that if he doesn't continue the claim, both of you will die." She opened her mouth to say something further, but he shook his head. "But as I said, none of this matters anyway. The soul is gone and there isn't enough magic in the world to make the soul return." He kissed her lips. "Trust me."

"But . . ."

"Nae, Angelus is here to stay," He placed a finger against her mouth.

She looked into his eyes filled with determination and conviction, leaving her no choice but to believe him. If Angelus was sure that nothing Buffy or her group did could put back the soul, then she believed him. She curled her arms around his neck, "Then why don't we get started on this claim thing."

He smiled wickedly, "That would be my pleasure, Vixen." And with a single move, he stood up, adjusted her in his arms and started moving towards the stairs.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands entangling into his hair. She never thought she'd find someone who wanted her like this, especially not a vampire as evil as Angelus. She knew he'd never hurt her, but she couldn't help but think of all the other victims he'd claimed before the soul and after, two of which were somewhere in the house. Angelus thrived on torture, pain, and blood; it was his nature. She wasn't a fool to believe that he hadn't been killing every night, enjoying the hunt as much as tasting the blood. Knowing all that, she laid in his arms trusting and safe.

He kicked open the bedroom door and moved into the room, kicking the door close with a foot. The resounding bang sent a shiver of fiery anticipation swirling through her body, her eyes moving to the bed. He gently sat her down on the bed, standing above her and gazing down at her with those intense dark eyes, devouring her. Her breath quickened.

"Aye want ye," He whispered. "And when aye have ye, aye will never let ye go."

"No place I want to be," Cordelia tossed back huskily.

He finally moved, lying down beside her on the bed, bracing and arm on either side of her, he leaned down to taste her lips again. Blue flames burst in front of her eyes, as she gasped softly and allowed him access to her mouth. His tongue danced lazily into her mouth, tasting and exploring the warm depths thoroughly. The desire and need surged between them until all he could think of was burying himself deep in her body and claiming her. .

"Vixen," He whispered, pulling back slightly. Angelus prided himself on needing nothing but blood and torture, but that was before this Vixen tempted him. He needed her in a way no one or anything ever had before. And the way he said the simple word, he was telling her this, reinforcing his desire for this woman held against his body.

"Angelus," She whispered, telling him all those things he needed to hear in one word.

And that was what he need, returning to claim those lips and allowing his hands to touch her frame. His tongue explored the outside trace of her lips, as Cordelia's arms moved around his neck to entangle into his hair. Her mouth opened and her tongue rose up to taste him, a unique combination of blood, whiskey, and him. Their own tongues danced with each other, while his hips gyrated against her, pointing out his thick need heavy and hard against her thigh. The flames licked dangerous at their skins, leaving a wake of raw primitive need between them. Man and Woman. Heat and Desire. Want.

He pulled back, giving her a moment to catch her breath. "I wanted to go slow, taste you in every way imaginable." She shivered at the images her words produced. "But I found myself quickly losing patience." His hand moved down across her stomach to the aching core of her body, cupping it with his hand, his fingers gently brushing her swollen nub. "I have to be inside you, make you mine, now." He inserted his finger into her wets folds, delighting as she arched up against him shamelessly. "Next time, I will taste you properly."

"Oh," She bucked against his probing finger. "Please."

"I intend to," He whispered, his tongue licking the pulsing point on her neck.

He withdrew his fingers, smiling when he heard her protest. His hands glided up her stomach, this time slowly unbuttoned the shirt she wore. His fingers caressing the skin he exposed along the way, delighting in the way her breath caught with each touch. She was his and they both knew it.

"Tell me what my touch does to you," he ordered.

"Fire," She managed, arching up against his hand. "Consuming me." She met his gaze, her eyes pleading with him. "Angelus, I need you."

He nodded and undid the last button, exposing the perfect mounds of her breasts. The rosy buds demanded his attention, and he gave into it, bending down to run his tongue across one. It hardened further and she moaned softly. He licked it once more and then his mouth closed over it, sucking gently, causing her to buck wildly against his frame. His Vixen was a tigress in bed and they hadn't even got to the best part.

Then suddenly he broke off and jumped off the bed, the flames were urging to be doused and he knew they wouldn't until he entered her tight core and took what was his fully. He shed his clothes, his eyes never wavering from her gaze. His hands trailed down his lean, toned frame to his hardened shaft, palming it expertly. He wanted Cordelia to know every inch of his body, as he intended to know every inch of hers.

Cordelia's eyes widened at the sight of his fully erect manhood, wondering how it would fit into her own tight sheath. She was a virgin, and he was . . . he was . . . ginormous. Mechanics of sex was one thing when the books all had six inches poking a woman. But he was going to put his at least nine or ten inches inside of her tight frame. Reality hit her hard.

"I'm-I'm a virgin," She whispered, her eyes still mesmerized by his large manhood.

"Shush," He moved to cover her body with his. "No worries, it will fit." His hands brushed back her hair, "I wish I could promise it won't hurt, but it will. The first time . . . my demon requires . . . but after . . ." And then he claimed her lips, hoping to distract her.

As soon as she started responding to his kiss, he shoved her legs apart and pushed his manhood inside of her. He broke through the barrier and didn't stop until he was fully seated. She broke off the kiss with a gasp and tears welled up in her eyes. He'd hurt her, something she thought he'd never do. There had been no loving caresses or reassurances; he'd just taken what he wanted, as he did everything else. The sad part was that she'd been the one to offer it to him.

"Vixen," He whispered, kissing her lips. "I'm sorry."

And then he started moving slowly, pushing in and out. His lips roamed over her neck, his tongue bathing the pulse point gently. Cordelia felt the fire rekindle, burning her inside and out with each new push of his hips. Delicious friction built up inside her, until she was clinging to him, her hips moving of their own accord to meet his. It felt as if she was flying to close to a volcano, as the heat and pressure continued to build and build, consuming her.

He knew she was close, as he was. Her sheath was tight and the heat was heady, burning his body. He lifted his head, looking down into her passion filled eyes. "When I tell you too," He slashed a spot on his neck, "Drink."

She nodded, understanding this was needed to the ritual. Blood and sex. She clung to his frame, her hips moving faster and faster, pushing her to an unknown apex. He went back to nuzzle her neck, pounding deeper and deeper into her, wanting to stay buried inside her heat for an eternity. This was why Buffy could never compare to his Vixen. Buffy had been a dead lay, allowing the soul to do the work while she laid there. But his Vixen was keeping pace with him, urging him to give her more and more. And he would, never stopping until the end of time.

He felt the first quivers of her release and knew it was time, "Now." He ordered. Wasting no time, he sank his fangs into her flesh, sinking himself deep inside of her. The first drink was as if tasting Ambrosia for the first time, and each sip after was a reminder that he would taste this, his Vixen, for eternity.

Cordelia wrapped her lips around his bleeding wound as he ordered, suppressing her gag reflex. Blood was not for humans to consume . . . one tentative sip of his blood and she felt as if she were eating chocolate. She understood why vampires were hooked on the taste, if this was how blood really tasted like. She felt as if she'd floated to heaven and was resting on a cloud.

"Do you Cordelia Chase give yourself to Angelus the Scourge of Europe, childe of Darla, freely to be a mate for all eternity?" He asked, breaking away slightly.

"Yes!" She answered. Then he latched back onto her neck and she suddenly exploded, her body flying up against him and shaking uncontrollable, her gasp the only sign she completed.

He thrust a few more times and finally released himself deep inside her. He worried at her newly claim mark, already sensing the changes between them, and then withdrew from her neck. "Mine now," He whispered, kissing her lips and brushing back her damp hair.

"Is it always like that," She asked earning a small laugh. "I mean . . . Wow."

He withdrew and moved onto his back, pulling her with him. "It's because we are mated, Vixen." He stroked her back. "Can you feel it?"

She paused and felt a strange sensation twisting inside her body, through her veins and straight to her heart. The beats slowed slightly, but she could hear the beats with a new clarity. She should be tired after the torrid round of sex the two just shared, but all she felt was a slight twinge between her legs. In fact, she felt as if she could go out and slay vampires and return to have more "mating" with him.

"I feel . . ."

"Only the beginning," He insisted with a smile. "Soon your eyesight with improve, enabling you to see in the dark. Your strength will increase until you are strong, if not stronger, then the Slayer." His hands grazed her new mark, enticing a shiver, "And this mark will protect you, even from the lowest minions. The entire demon world will know you belong to me and they will honor and respect you."

"Princess of Demons," Cordelia tasted it. "I can live with that title."

"How about me?"

She looked into his eyes, "Only if you make good on that promise to explore me thoroughly."

"Always a pleasure, Vixen." He agreed, drawing her against him once more.

Angelus propped himself up on his arm, gazing down at his sleeping Vixen. She was half lying on her side, her face turned in his direction. He realized he could spend an eternity looking into her face just like this and never tire of it. He'd felt as if he could make the world bow down to him with her by his side. She was feisty and strong, not to mention smart and had a passion for reading books, something they could share for all the years to come. She wasn't a sheep, but a leader.

But mostly he thought himself lucky that she trusted him enough to sleep, a mere human, while he lay inches away from her in the bed. In the past, the woman he'd been with always feared him, even those of demon origin. They thought he was dangerous and unpredictable, which he probably was, holding back pieces from him. Even Buffy held apiece back with his souled counterpart. But his Vixen didn't fear him, give herself freely and holding nothing back and that was why he chose her.

"Are you watching me sleep," She whispered softly, and then opened those eyes and looked at him with amusement. "Because I'm pretty sure there are better things to do."

Angelus smiled, "Nothing I can think of at this moment."

"Not even torturing and killing some frightened Virgin," Cordelia offered sassily.

He laughed, "None available right now. Besides," He pulled her closer, "This is the stage of our mating when we need to be closer." He lowered his lips slowly. "A lot closer."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Far be it from me to mess with an ancient ritual."

He nodded in agreement and claimed her lips in a kiss.


End file.
